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

Alyssa, who was lying in bed,

him, puzzled. "Winston, you'd apologize

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

how she could use this opportunity to get into the Linklater

mind? Believing a child's words? Have you forgotten how furious Grandpa was last time? He won't

even get into the Linklater family was one thing; if Grandpa George found out she'd taken Winston there, it would be another

a servant began to urge him to

asked, they

Winston left; he really wanted to see

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

has lost patience with me... he won't

showing his face

her, that would remove a significant thorn

laughed, "Big sis, you're getting it all wrong. Arthur, powerful as he may be, is

The matriarch's position at the Linklater estate was always meant to be yours. Sasha stole it from you.

Alyssa silently agreed.

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

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

to resort to this.

Sasha gone, not anyone

Vivienne, who

Brianna. You can go now," Alyssa

bed. For some reason,

in the room, Alyssa received a

the number, her heart sank, and she quickly

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

contacts me directly. Why

scoff, his mockery particularly grating over the

soured on

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

beat, and she hurried to explain,