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.

Alyssa was about to send him away, Winston said in his soft voice, "Then I'll apologize to Auntie for big sis. Auntie is so

Brianna and Alyssa, who was lying

at him, puzzled. "Winston, you'd

Grandpa, I don't blame big sis. It's my fault for being too

thinking of how she could use this opportunity to get into

of your mind? Believing a child's words? Have you forgotten how furious Grandpa was last time? He won't let you take Winston

the Linklater family was one thing; if Grandpa George found out she'd taken Winston there, it

longer, a servant began to urge him to

they would be

Winston left; he really wanted to see

why not seek Arthur's favor? If he's on

has lost patience

showing his face

her, that would remove a

you're getting it all wrong. Arthur, powerful as he may be, is still a man.

the Linklater estate

Alyssa silently agreed.

half. Sasha's sudden appearance not only shattered her

her, Sasha would be too distracted to bother with Arthur. That's your chance, big sis." Alyssa's gaze darkened, "You

taken aback by Alyssa's sudden intensity, 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

gone,

not Vivienne, who was

go now,"

bed. For some

room, Alyssa received a

her heart sank,

end, a voice altered to a low pitch spoke, "The boss has a job

"The boss usually contacts me directly. Why go through

a scoff, his mockery particularly grating over

soured on

these past few days? Do you really think he's going to

a beat, and she hurried to explain,