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.

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

was lying in

you'd apologize to the Linklaters

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

raced, thinking of how she could use this opportunity to get into the Linklater

child's words? Have you forgotten how furious

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

stayed longer, a servant began to urge him

George asked, they would be

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 and her

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

Linklater estate without Arthur showing his face was proof of

that

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

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

Alyssa silently agreed.

Arthur's other half. Sasha's sudden appearance not only shattered her dream of

moment, Brianna threw out her idea, "Sasha cares so much about her daughter. If something happened to her, Sasha would be too

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

gone, not anyone

not Vivienne, who

Brianna. You can go now,"

covert glance at Alyssa on the bed. For some reason, she felt there was

room, Alyssa received

heart sank, and she quickly

other end, a voice altered to a low pitch

usually contacts me directly.

a scoff, his mockery particularly grating over

soured on you.

vanishing act these past few days? Do you really think

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