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.

voice, "Then I'll apologize to Auntie for big sis. Auntie is so nice; she

Alyssa, who was lying in

him, puzzled. "Winston, you'd

my fault for being too weak, it

use this

child's words? Have you forgotten how furious Grandpa

the Linklater family was one thing; if Grandpa George found out she'd taken Winston there, it would be another storm of blood and

servant began to urge him

Grandpa George asked, they would be held

he really

"Instead of begging Sasha 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

estate without Arthur showing his face was proof of Sasha's deep influence

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

wrong. Arthur, powerful as he may be, is still a

are meant for each other. The matriarch's position at the Linklater estate was

Alyssa silently agreed.

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

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

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 suggestion seemed to support her but was actually using her to

wanted Sasha gone, not anyone

Vivienne,

go now," Alyssa said,

For some reason, she felt

room, Alyssa received a secretive

number, her heart

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

usually contacts me directly. Why go

particularly grating over the phone, "With the lab

on

days? Do you

skipped a beat, and she hurried to explain, "I