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 to Auntie for big sis.

who was lying in bed,

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

big sis. It's my fault for being too weak, it has nothing to do with big

thinking of how she could use

Believing a child's words? Have you forgotten how furious

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

longer, a servant began to urge

asked, they

Winston left; he really wanted to see his

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

"But Arthur has lost patience with me... he won't

at the Linklater estate without Arthur showing his face was

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

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

at the Linklater estate was always meant to be yours.

Alyssa silently agreed.

other half. Sasha's sudden appearance not only shattered

threw out her idea, "Sasha cares so much 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 gaze darkened,

Arthur over by herself, we wouldn't need to resort to this. It's all

wanted Sasha gone, not

not Vivienne, who was

tired, Brianna. You can go now," Alyssa

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

in the room, Alyssa

her heart sank,

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

brows furrowed, "The boss usually contacts me

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

on you.

Do you really think he's going to trust you

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