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.

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

Brianna and Alyssa, who was lying in

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

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

could use

a child's words? Have you forgotten how furious Grandpa was

the Linklater family was one thing; if Grandpa George found out she'd

longer, a servant began to urge

George asked, they would be held

he really wanted to see his

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

pondered, "But Arthur has lost patience with me... he

showing his face was proof of Sasha's deep

was a way to eliminate her, that would

he may be, is still a man. No man dislikes a woman's

the Linklater estate was always meant to be yours. Sasha stole it from you. What's wrong

Alyssa silently agreed.

sudden appearance not only shattered her dream of marrying

so much about her daughter. If something happened to her, Sasha would be too distracted to bother with Arthur. That's

was taken aback by Alyssa's sudden 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 to you now." Alyssa didn't immediately agree. Brianna's

wanted Sasha gone, not

not Vivienne,

You can go now," Alyssa said,

she cast a covert glance at Alyssa on the bed. For some reason, she

in the room, Alyssa received a secretive

heart sank,

voice altered to a low pitch spoke, "The boss

boss usually contacts me

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

soured on you.

you really think he's going to trust

and she hurried to explain, "I haven't betrayed him, I