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.

about to send him away, Winston said in his soft voice, "Then I'll apologize to Auntie for big

Brianna and Alyssa, who was lying in bed, were

"Winston, you'd apologize to the

my fault for

she could use this opportunity to get into

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

George

a servant began

asked, they would be

he really wanted to see

Sasha for forgiveness, why not seek Arthur's favor? If he's on your side, who cares about Sasha and

lost patience with me... he

showing his face was proof of

that

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

meant for each other. The matriarch's position at the Linklater estate was always meant to be yours. Sasha stole it from you. What's wrong with taking back

Alyssa silently agreed.

only shattered her dream of

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

big sis could win Arthur over by herself, we wouldn't need to

Sasha gone,

Vivienne,

Brianna. You can go now," Alyssa

the bed. For some reason, she felt

in the room, Alyssa received a secretive

number, her heart

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

"The boss usually contacts

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

soured on you.

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

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