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

Alyssa, who was lying in bed,

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

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

mind raced, thinking of how she could use

of your mind? Believing a child's words? Have you forgotten how furious Grandpa was last time? He won't let you take Winston out again." Alyssa also felt

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

longer, a servant began

Grandpa George asked, they would be

really wanted

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

pondered, "But Arthur has lost patience with

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

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

powerful as he may be, is still a man. No man

the Linklater estate was always meant to be yours. Sasha stole it from

Alyssa silently agreed.

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

something happened to her, Sasha would be too distracted to bother with Arthur. That's your chance, big sis." Alyssa's gaze

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 suggestion seemed to support her

wanted Sasha gone,

Vivienne,

go now," Alyssa said, turning

she cast a covert glance at Alyssa on the bed. For some reason, she felt there was something about her big sister she couldn't quite

the room, Alyssa

heart sank, and

low pitch spoke, "The

usually contacts

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

soured on you.

Do you

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