The Million-Dollar Heart

Vivienne's gaze shifted across the room, the corners of her lips curling up slightly. "Harrison, surely you must recognize some of these faces. Back in the day, as an intern, you joined the Littleton family's R&D team to develop new products. These people were your partners and mentors."

Harrison's hand, hidden under the table, clenched his shirt tightly. Ignoring Vivienne, he rasped in disbelief, "Blake, Trent, how could you do this to me?"

"How much did Vivienne pay you to bear false witness against me?"

Jerry cleared his throat, "These witnesses haven't spoken yet. How do you know it's perjury?"

Harrison shot back, "Why else would you bring them here if not to pin the crime of ingratitude on me? Mrs. Littleton, I respected your kindness to me back then and didn't quarrel with you. After all these years, why can't you let me go?"

Leopold, sitting among the audience, glanced at Harrison's reddened eyes. "This guy's quite the actor," he remarked.

He elbowed Thomas, "Is this what they call a 'male gold digger' on the internet?"

"Clearly," was the unspoken reply.

Before Thomas could respond, a crisp female voice surprised them from behind.

Leopold turned sharply, just in time to catch a grimace of pain, "Griffin Martinez! A little heads-up next time, you scared me half to death!"

Seeing Leopold's lips turn pale, a flicker of concern crossed Griffin's eyes. "Oh dear, I thought you knew. Are you okay? Need me to check?"

Leopold quickly waved her off, "No, no, I'm fine!"

"Oh." Griffin looked slightly dejected, her disappointment visible.

Thomas couldn't stand it and shot his brother a look that clearly read: That's why you're single!

protested his

Harrison, he's the jerk you were talking about? No wonder he managed to charm Vivienne's friend;

nothing but a wolf in sheep's clothing.

in the small

not too far from them, caught every

sparked with an idea, thinking of Emrys Abernathy and others they

the implications if Emrys and the others recanted. That could really

only he knew he was already a pawn being

familiar with them?" Gavin fumbled

before turning to Victoria, who was clearly bored, "When you visited Vivienne, did you

Victoria, yawning, showed little

could

and Percival

me because of Richard.

share their plans with me? They're not

Gavin was the fool for

wondered why Vivienne

someone be plotting against

help them along. Protecting Gavin must serve

well have been dead. His life

was ensuring the Abernathy family's assets didn't

to lash out, but Percival's icy stare

chill, Gavin's grip on his cane