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

Alyssa, who was

"Winston, you'd apologize to the Linklaters for

blame big sis. It's my fault for

raced, thinking of how she could use

Have you forgotten how

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

stayed longer, a servant began to

asked, they would be

Winston left; he really wanted to see

Arthur's favor? If he's on your side, who cares

patience with me... he

fainting at the Linklater estate without Arthur showing his face was proof of Sasha's

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

all wrong. Arthur, powerful as he

in Rivenwood knows you two are meant for each other. The matriarch's position at the Linklater estate was always

Alyssa silently agreed.

sudden appearance not only

Sasha would

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

wanted Sasha gone, not anyone

Vivienne, who was

can go

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

room, Alyssa received a

number, her heart sank,

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

contacts me

a scoff, his mockery particularly grating over the

on you. And

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

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