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.

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

Alyssa, who was

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

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

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

forgotten how furious Grandpa was last time? He

family was one thing; if Grandpa George found out she'd taken Winston

stayed longer, a servant began to urge

George asked, they would be

really wanted to

not seek Arthur's favor? If he's on your side, who

Arthur has lost patience with me...

the Linklater estate without Arthur showing his

way to eliminate her, that would remove a significant thorn from Alyssa's

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

two are 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 what's

Alyssa silently agreed.

half. Sasha's sudden appearance not only shattered her dream of marrying Arthur but also turned her

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 gaze

herself, we wouldn't need to resort

gone, not

not Vivienne,

go now," Alyssa

the bed. For some reason,

in the room, Alyssa received

heart sank, and

a voice altered to a low pitch spoke,

contacts me directly. Why

particularly grating over the phone, "With the lab trashed, the

soured on

Do you really think he's

and she hurried to explain, "I haven't