The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Vivienne’s face betrayed no emotion as she smoothly withdrew her hand from Melissa’s grasp, offering

no reply. Instead, she turned to face Baron, her voice cool and even. “Do you have anything to say?”

Baron’s gaze narrowed slightly, and he spoke without hesitation. “No explanation. The bomb installed

in Mr. Ellington’s car and the person who drove into you—that was all my doing.”

Percival’s car accident was still making headlines, and everyone knew about it.

But what they did not know was that Baron was behind it!

“Dad, do you realize what you’re saying?” Melissa exclaimed, her voice tinged with disbelief.

How was she supposed to accept this?

Her mother was a murderer, and now her father, too?

Timothy saw right through Baron and turned to Scott with eyes brimming with anger. “Bro, are you

really going to let Dad take the fall for you?”

His words further shattered the Brooks family’s younger generation’s belief in their world.

In their eyes, Scott was their kindest elder and uncle. No matter what they did wrong, they could always

turn to Scott and escape any punishment.

Ronald was the first to regain some semblance of composure. “Dad, do you know something we

don’t?”

Timothy did not respond, his gaze fixed on Scott, desperate for the truth to come from his lips.

But all they got was silence.

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Baron stood his ground. “Vivienne, take me in. I need to atone.”

“Dad!” Melissa could no longer contain her emotions and collapsed, sobbing on the couch.

Vivienne’s lips curled into a faint smile; she had anticipated this scene.

With a calm demeanor, she turned to Timothy. “Uncle, you needn’t beg Scott for the truth. After all, he’s

not the Brooks’ flesh and blood.”

The room fell into a stunned silence.

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Scott was not a Brooks?

What was going on?

And how did Vivienne know?

Everyone’s gaze shifted to Vivienne, utterly at a loss for words.

They could not believe it.

Scott was Baron’s firstborn. Even though he and Judith had no love, he was still deeply invested in his

children.

If Scott was not Baron’s son, Baron should have been the first to know.

Yet, by the look on Baron’s face, it was clear he was clueless.

Baron was utterly stunned. It took him a moment to process the revelation.

When he finally regained his composure, disbelief filled his eyes. “What did you just say? Scott isn’t my

son?”

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Before Vivienne could respond, Baron continued, “No, that’s impossible. How could he not be my son?

I…”

He stopped mid-sentence as something dawned on him, sending a shiver down his spine.

At that moment, Vivienne handed Baron a paternity test report. “This is his paternity test.”

She then passed him another document, saying, “This is the evidence of how Judith bribed the doctor

back then. Take a good look at it; your bedfellow has deceived you about more than just the murders.”

Baron’s hands trembled as he took the documents, unable to believe that the child he had raised for so

many years was not his own.

If it were not for that child, he would not have married Judith, and Dahlia… Dahlia would still be alive.

Scott stopped pretending and pushed away Ronald’s supportive hand, his voice laced with sarcasm.

“No need to read it. Indeed, I’m not your son, Baron Brooks. Thank you for all the ‘kindness’ you’ve

shown me over the years.”

But his gratitude was heavy with resentment.

Melissa shivered involuntarily, clutching her hands tightly. “Bro, are you still upset about what happened

back then…?”

Scott let out a cold laugh. “No, I don’t hold a grudge. Without him selling me out, I would never have

discovered my true heritage!”

The younger generation was clueless about past events.

But Timothy and Melissa knew.

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Kala’s mind was in turmoil. She approached Vivienne and pleaded, “Vivienne, you know everything,

don’t you? Just tell us straight, can you?”

Kala bore no hate or resentment; she just wanted the truth to come swiftly.

The slow reveal of secrets was too painful.

One revelation after another left them unsure of how to cope.

Vivienne looked indifferently at Baron. “Baron, you tell them.”

Baron took a deep breath, his eyes void of spirit.

“Years ago, the Brooks family business suffered a severe blow. We were on the brink of losing the

Brooks Mansion. The bank was constantly hounding us for money, and with no options left, I took a

gamble.”

Timothy and Melissa closed their eyes, remembering the fear they felt as children when the bank came

to seize their family’s assets.

It was not a dramatic method, but it was still terrifying.

“I sought help from a loan shark, and they agreed to bail out the Brooks family. The price was for Scott

to become a hostage.”

Kala gasped, covering her mouth.

This was not just a loan shark; selling a child as a hostage—how was it different from human

trafficking?

Scott remained impassive as if the conversation did not concern him.

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Baron continued, “For the family, I agreed. After that, the Brooks family rebounded with the money from

that organization. But your uncle couldn’t come back for ten years until he was eighteen. Only then did

he return to the Brooks family.”

Melissa sniffled, “But the Scott who came back was different.”

Although Scott seemed just as gentle, Timothy and Melissa knew their brother had changed. They

could not pinpoint exactly how, but they felt it.

“He was different.” Baron wiped away a tear, then continued, “After he came back, he laid down his

terms, demanding that I hand over the Brooks family to him. I was against it at first, but he claimed he

was now the second-in-command of that organization, and with that power, he could take the Brooks

family to new heights.”

Timothy remembered that day when his older brother returned and spent the entire afternoon in the

study with their father.Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates…

When they emerged, their father announced that Scott would henceforth manage the Brooks family

affairs.

None of the younger siblings objected; after all, in their hearts, their big brother was an admirable

figure, someone they looked up to and adored.

As Baron recounted the story, his expression inevitably turned sorrowful. “But who could have known

that bargaining with a tiger would eventually lead to one’s own demise.”

Scott burst into laughter. “Baron, you should be grateful you agreed to my terms from the get-go.

Otherwise, you’d be nothing but a lingering spirit, incapable of standing here today.”

Even with his back to Scott, Baron could still feel the chilling aura emanating from him.

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“Scott, I’m well aware of all that you’ve used the Brooks family for over the years, and I know I owe you.

That’s why I looked the other way, never meddling in your affairs. Isn’t that enough to offset your

grudge against the Brooks family?”

This was also why he had suddenly wrested the role of family patriarch from Scott’s grasp.

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