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.

as 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 nice;

and Alyssa, who was lying in bed, were

you'd

Grandpa, I don't blame big sis. It's my fault for being too weak, it has nothing to do with big

use this opportunity to get into the

Have you forgotten how furious Grandpa was last time? He won't let

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

servant began to

asked, they would

left; he really wanted to see his

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

patience with me... he won't even see

the Linklater estate without Arthur showing his face

was a way to eliminate her, that would

it all wrong. Arthur, powerful as he may be,

the Linklater estate was always meant to be yours. Sasha stole it from you. What's wrong with taking back what's rightfully

Alyssa silently agreed.

seen herself as Arthur's other half. Sasha's sudden appearance not only

much about her daughter. If something happened to her, Sasha would be too distracted to bother with Arthur. That's your chance, big sis." Alyssa's

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 was actually using her to

gone, not

Vivienne, who was

can go

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

the room, Alyssa received a

her heart

voice altered to a low pitch

contacts me

let out a scoff, his mockery particularly grating over the phone, "With

soured on you. And

Do you really think he's going to trust you like

she hurried to explain,