The Million-Dollar Heart

Alyssa choked on her words, her face painting a picture of utter helplessness in front of Arthur. "How could you think I wanted this? You said..."

Vivienne's lips curled into a mocking smile. "I never said she'd die. But you, you seemed awfully keen on the idea."

Alyssa's heart skipped a beat, but confident in her own innocence, she managed to hold her composure. "What are you blabbering about, Vivienne? Winston is my brother. No one wishes for his well-being more than I do..."

A flicker of scorn passed through Vivienne's eyes. "Blabbering, am I?"

"You..."

Alyssa's finger pointed accusingly, but before she could utter a word, Arthur stepped in front of her, his voice cold. "If you don't value your fingers, just say the word. My daughter is not someone you can just point at."

Arthur's face darkened.

His beloved daughter, whom he could hardly raise his voice to, was being disrespected. What right did Alyssa have to point fingers?

Biting her lip, Alyssa looked pitifully at Arthur. "Do you have to be so cold to me, Arthur? It's me, Alyssa."

A sneer came from behind them.

Arthur felt a shiver down his spine, his disdain for Alyssa growing. "I don't care who you are. Don't try to cozy up to me. At your age, shame seems to be a foreign concept!" Alyssa's face turned an ugly shade of red.

At that moment, the operating room doors swung open, and the medical staff emerged.

Alyssa rushed to intercept them, desperate to know Winston's condition. "Doctor, how's my brother? Is he alright?"

The doctor glanced at Vivienne, then oddly at Alyssa. "Why are you only getting here now? The patient is out of danger and has been moved to the ICU."

ICU?

Alyssa bit her lip, refusing to believe Winston could be so lucky.

She had instructed the driver to leave no survivors.

How could he be so hard to kill!

Noticing Alyssa's stupor, the doctor spoke before leaving. "What are you waiting for? Go settle the medical bills. We can't have outstanding surgery fees." Alyssa turned to Arthur, clenched her teeth, and reluctantly followed to make the payment.

Sasha, silent till now, spoke coldly from behind her. "You better hope Winston is fine, or you'll be paying with more than money."

Alyssa shuddered.

one wishes for

had pierced

leaving did that

gone, Vivienne noticed a shadowy figure darting away.

exchanged a brief greeting with Arthur and

figure, but it

hospital's surveillance to find out who it was when her phone buzzed with

at 10,

vanished, and immediately a message was

Clearly, they came prepared.

arrived at Café Verde on time. The waiter asked if she

"Upstairs," Vivienne stated.

waiter led the way, guiding her

door open to find an antique

it, she saw the

sickly pale, but his lips were a stark, healthy red - a sign of

exposed, Colin didn't panic, his voice soft. "I'm here to

facts plainly. "What could you possibly offer me? In the Wright

knew the Wright family's

them, waiting for someone to make the

who she had

Yet, he intrigued her.

childhood poisoning, had been neutralized in family affairs,

hands, and the company under the control of Robbie, the eldest grandson, Alyssa and Brianna held

family, such a person would be ousted or

information available to the public was not the full story.

his

Colin said, "I know I might not have much to offer in Ms. Hawthorn's eyes, but I can assure you, the insider information you seek about the Wright family can

slightly. "You know what I'm

his glasses as a way

these past years hasn't gone unnoticed by me, despite my distance from family affairs. But isn't there someone pulling the strings from the shadows,

Vivienne remained silent.

the Wright family had been