The Million-Dollar Heart

The midday sun streamed through the windows, casting a warm glow on the scattered rose petals that hadn't been cleaned up yet. Vivienne walked through, feeling a rare moment of serene beauty in the chaos.

After finishing a meal that was too late for breakfast and too early for lunch, Vivienne's phone, silent throughout the morning, finally rang.

Draven was brief. "Miss, there's movement at the Wright estate."

"Keep an eye on them," Vivienne instructed.

Percival cleared the dishes and took off his apron. "Heading to the Wrights?"

"Back to the Linklaters first," Vivienne's eyes narrowed slightly in thought.

Upon their arrival at the Linklater mansion, only Yorick was present in the grand hall.

Seeing Vivienne and Percival, Yorick's face broke into a smile. "Ah, Vivienne, Percival, come in, sit down."

"Grandfather!" they exclaimed in unison.

Yorick nodded, smiling warmly. "Your parents are out, scouting new venues for the wedding."

Vivienne cut straight to the chase. "Grandpa, that's not why I'm here today."

Yorick's expression sobered, perhaps guessing the reason. "Vivienne, I looked into what you told me, but just because she's been abroad for decades doesn't necessarily mean she's..."

Vivienne understood the dilemma; with age, familial bonds often deepen, complicating matters.

"All that matters," she said, "is whether she is or isn't the person in question, it doesn't absolve her of suspicion."

dedicated his life to serving

"You gave your uncle a chance last time for my sake, and I won't ask you to compromise for personal reasons again, not when it concerns someone the state cannot

distinction; he saw the

firm.

family's ancestral chapel, only to be greeted by a pungent smell of blood. Inside, rather than finding Hailey, they discovered a young servant on the floor, his chest a bloody mess, his

here?"

face darkened. He'd refused to believe his sister could be a target of a national

turned to him, her voice hard. "Hailey is

Wolf knew of Abigail's special abilities; Yorick had been deceived

catch her. If she isn't the real Hailey, then the

her resolve

suggested they might still catch

Vivienne held him back. "Remember what Abigail said yesterday, Mr.

realized, an eerie

all costs. "She dares to

Her end

resolve, promised his unconditional support. This enemy, he declared,

for the chapel to be cleaned, Vivienne and Percival left for the troubled Wright estate, now facing both internal strife and financial ruin under Matthew's

struck by the eerie stillness of the once-grand manor under the overcast

entirely in white, greeted them. "Ms. Hawthorn, you've finally come.

a flicker of

"Ms. Hawthorn, rest assured, Winston

gaze remained unfazed,