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; she won't blame big

Brianna and Alyssa, who was

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

big sis. It's my fault for being too weak, it

use this opportunity to get

"Big sis, are you out of your mind? Believing a child's words? Have you forgotten how furious Grandpa was last time? He won't let you take

Linklater family was one thing; if Grandpa George found out she'd taken Winston there, it would be another storm of blood and

servant began to urge

George asked, they

left; he really wanted to see

why not seek Arthur's favor? If he's on your side, who cares

pondered, "But Arthur has lost patience with me... he won't even

without Arthur showing his face was proof of

a way to eliminate her, that would remove a

it all wrong. Arthur, powerful as he may be, is still a man. No man dislikes

the Linklater estate was always meant to be yours. Sasha stole it from you.

Alyssa silently agreed.

only shattered her dream of

happened to her, Sasha would be too distracted

could win Arthur over by herself, we wouldn't need to resort to this. It's

gone, not

Vivienne,

You can go now," Alyssa said,

leave, she cast a covert glance at Alyssa on the bed. For

in the room, Alyssa

heart sank, and she quickly

other end, a voice altered to a low pitch spoke,

furrowed, "The boss usually contacts me directly. Why go through

scoff, his mockery particularly grating over the phone, "With

on you.

these past few days? Do you

hurried to