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.

said in his soft voice, "Then I'll apologize to Auntie for big sis.

Alyssa, who was lying in bed, were

him, puzzled. "Winston, you'd apologize to the Linklaters

my fault for being too weak, it has nothing to do

raced, thinking of how she could use

child's words? Have you forgotten how furious Grandpa was last time? He

into the Linklater family was one thing; if Grandpa George found

a servant began to

asked, they would be held

left; he really wanted to see

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

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

Linklater estate without Arthur showing his

that

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

at the Linklater estate was always meant

Alyssa silently agreed.

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

daughter. If something happened to her, Sasha would be too

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 up

gone, not

Vivienne, who was

You can go now," Alyssa

Alyssa on the bed. For some reason, she felt there

the room, Alyssa received a

the number, her heart sank, and she

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

usually contacts

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

soured on you.

Do you really think he's going to trust

and she hurried to explain,