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.

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

and Alyssa, who was lying in bed, were

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

sis. It's my fault

of how she could use this

up, "Big sis, are you out of your mind? Believing a child's words? Have you forgotten how furious

George found out she'd taken Winston there, it would be another storm of

stayed longer, a servant began to

they would be held

Winston left; he really wanted

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

has lost patience

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

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

getting it all wrong. Arthur, powerful as he may be, is still

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

Alyssa silently agreed.

sudden appearance not only shattered her dream

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

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 suggestion seemed to

wanted Sasha gone,

Vivienne, who was

You can go

leave, she cast a covert glance at Alyssa on the bed. For some reason, she felt there was something

the room, Alyssa received a secretive

number, her heart sank,

a low pitch spoke,

usually contacts me directly.

grating

on you.

these past few days? Do you really think he's going to trust you

beat, and she hurried to explain,