The Million-Dollar Heart

Alyssa's arms were etched with scabs and whip marks that Brianna could clearly see, yet she pretended not to notice.

Those were the handiwork of Grandpa George himself, a man who wouldn't stop until he'd drawn blood.

The mention of it left Alyssa in a daze.

Right, she thought, I'm the eldest daughter of the Wright family. Even for the sake of the family name, Arthur shouldn't have treated me this way.

It must be Sasha who's stirring things up.

"Big sis?"

Brianna watched Alyssa zone out, her eyes betraying a hint of disgust.

Winston, accompanied by a servant, came jogging over, his young face full of concern that seemed genuine. He was startled upon seeing Alyssa's injuries, "Big sis, what happened to you?" Alyssa frowned and withdrew her hand.

The last person she wanted to see right now was Winston.

If it hadn't been for him, Grandpa George wouldn't have been so harsh on her.

Brianna saw it all and, hiding her scorn, explained to Winston, "Little bro, someone bullied your big sis. Didn't you notice?"

"Bullied?"

Winston's young brow furrowed, puzzled as he looked at Brianna. "Big sis, who bullied big sis?"

Brianna's face turned cold at being called 'big sis.' "Who else could it be? In the Linklater family, who wields such power? If not Sasha and her daughter Vivienne, then who?" Winston quickly figured it out.

Shaking his head, he spoke clearly, "I trust Auntie; she wouldn't bully anyone. Maybe big sis didn't apologize to Auntie? Grandpa said if you do something wrong, you have to own up to it." Brianna raised an eyebrow but didn't reply.

Alyssa's face darkened.

She knew what she had done and certainly didn't need a five-year-old lecturing her.

voice, "Then I'll apologize to Auntie for big sis. Auntie is so nice;

Alyssa, who was lying

puzzled. "Winston, you'd apologize to the Linklaters for

my fault for being too weak, it

raced, thinking of how she could use this

of your mind? Believing a child's words? Have you forgotten how furious Grandpa was

was one thing; if Grandpa George found out she'd

servant began to urge

George asked, they would be

Winston left; he really wanted to see his

Arthur's favor? If he's on your side, who cares about Sasha and

lost patience

showing his

a way to eliminate her, that would remove

as he may be, is still a man. No man dislikes a woman's

everyone in Rivenwood knows you two are meant for each other. The matriarch's position at the Linklater estate was always meant to be yours.

Alyssa silently agreed.

other half. Sasha's sudden appearance not only

the moment, Brianna threw out her idea, "Sasha cares so much about her daughter. If something happened to her, Sasha would be too distracted to bother with Arthur. That's

quickly covering for herself, "Of course, if big sis could win Arthur over by herself, we wouldn't need to resort to this. It's all up to you now." Alyssa didn't immediately agree. Brianna's suggestion seemed to support her but

Sasha gone,

not Vivienne, who

You can go

bed. For some reason, she felt there was something about her big sister she

in the room, Alyssa

her heart sank, and

the other end, a voice altered to a low pitch spoke, "The boss

boss usually contacts me directly. Why go through

mockery particularly grating over the phone, "With

soured on you.

past few days? Do you

hurried