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.

his soft voice, "Then I'll apologize to Auntie for big sis. Auntie is so nice; she won't blame

who was lying in bed,

looked at him, puzzled. "Winston, you'd apologize to

big sis. It's my fault for being too weak, it has nothing to do with big

thinking of how she could use this opportunity to get into

Believing a child's words? Have you forgotten how furious Grandpa was last time? He won't let you take Winston out again." Alyssa also felt this

Winston could even get into the Linklater family was one thing; if Grandpa George found out she'd taken Winston there, it would be

stayed longer, a servant began to urge him

asked, they

left; he really wanted to see his

then suggested, "Instead of begging Sasha for forgiveness, why not seek Arthur's favor? If he's on your side, who cares about Sasha

Arthur has lost patience with me... he

estate without Arthur showing his face was proof

way to eliminate her, that would remove

sis, you're getting it all wrong. Arthur, powerful as he may be, is still a man. No man dislikes

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

Alyssa silently agreed.

Sasha's sudden appearance not only shattered her dream

much about her daughter. If something happened to her, Sasha would be too distracted to bother with

to resort to this. It's all up to you now." Alyssa didn't immediately agree. Brianna's suggestion seemed to support

Sasha gone,

not Vivienne, who was

Brianna. You can go now," Alyssa said,

the bed. For some reason, she felt there was something

in the room, Alyssa received

heart sank, and

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

contacts

his mockery particularly grating over the phone, "With the lab trashed, the boss

soured on you. And

Do you really think he's going to

heart skipped a beat, and she hurried to explain, "I haven't betrayed