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

and Alyssa, who was lying in

you'd

firmly. "I told Grandpa, I don't blame big sis. It's my fault for being too weak, it has nothing

could use this

words? Have you forgotten how

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

servant

Grandpa George asked, they would be

he really wanted to see

for forgiveness, why not seek Arthur's

Arthur has lost patience

Arthur showing his face was proof of

there was a way to eliminate her, that would remove a significant thorn

wrong. Arthur, powerful as he may

each other. The matriarch's position at the Linklater estate

Alyssa silently agreed.

as Arthur's other half. Sasha's sudden appearance not only shattered her dream of marrying Arthur but also turned her decade-long wait into

moment, Brianna threw out her idea, "Sasha cares so 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 gaze darkened,

to resort to this. It's all up to you

Sasha gone, not

Vivienne, who was

You can go now," Alyssa

bed. For some reason, she felt there was

the room, Alyssa received a

the number, her heart

voice altered to a low pitch spoke, "The boss has

furrowed, "The boss usually contacts me directly.

man let out a scoff, his mockery particularly grating over the

on you. And

few days? Do you really think he's

and she hurried to explain,