The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Wendy froze, disbelief etched across her face as Eliza's words sank in.

With a swift motion, Eliza grabbed a decorative pillow from the couch and pressed it against Wendy's face.

As she bore down with all her might, Eliza hissed, “Just so you know, every single present you've ever received was bought by Cecilia. | was merely the delivery girl. And every mistake? That was all me. But Cecilia, with her hapless, tender heart, took the fall every time. Before you kicked her out for the last time, she left you a sum of money. Guess what? | pocketed that with a laugh.

Mom, so why don’t you just go ahead and die? Once you're gone, I'll have the perfect excuse to worm into the Ellington family’s graces to get close to Nathan. Cecilia's a soft touch; she’ll surely takein, right? Your existence is nothing but a burden to me. Better you're dead so that | can squeeze out one last benefit.

Don’t worry, I'll get the Boyd family’s siring and raise our nfrom the ashes.” Wendy struggled briefly beneath the pillow but soon fell still.

She had died at the hands of the daughter she had cherished all her life.

Eliza let out a slow breath, dragged Wendy's body into the bedroom, and staged the scene to look like an accidental death.

Then, pulling out her phone, she dialed Vivienne.

Meanwhile, Vivienne answered the call, her gaze still fixed on the computer screen, which displayed Eliza's malicious face.

“Ms. Hawthorn, it’s Eliza,” the voice on the line said.

Vivienne reclined against the sofa, lazily stretching her legs onto the coffee table. “Mrs. Watson, something | can do for you?” Eliza despised the way Vivienne called her by her name. B.y she had married Nathan back then, Vivienne would have to respectfully address her as “Mom.” She was a hundred times better than Cecilia, yet Nathan only had eyes for that fool! Eliza had been simmering with resentment for years, dreaming of the day she would replace Cecilia and becNathan's wife.

Eliza steadied her voice, “Ms. Hawthorn, | know you've got beef with the Boyds, but karma’s caught up with them now. I'm calling you today because there's something else.” Vivienne chuckled. “So, what's up?” After a pause, Eliza continued, “The authorities have just taken in my brothers, and my mom... She passed away from a sudden stroke.” Eliza's voice broke into a sob, “Is Percival with you? Can he let Cecilia know to cback for Mom's funeral?” Dropping to her knees, Eliza put on a performance worthy of an award, yelling, “My mom’s gone, my mom's gone...” Percival walked over with a glass of milk, a smirk tugging at his lips at the sight of Eliza's dramatic display.

If only his mother had such acting skills when she was caught eating spicy snacks while pregnant with Isolde, she would not have been banned from them for a month.

He took the phone and said, “I'll be there on behalf of the Ellingtons.” With that, he hung up, tired of the wailing that was ruining Vivienne’s milk-drinking experience.

Eliza's crying ceased as the dial tone echoed, and a flicker of resentment crossed her eyes. They did not want to notify Cecilia? Wendy was Cecilia’s mother! She had to make Cecilia cto the funeral; only then could she see Nathan. If Percival would not pass the message, she would send it herself.

Soon after, Vivienne received a text on her phone with the funeral notice from Eliza. Tapping a few times, she replied in Cecilia's voice, ensuring Eliza she would be there.

Eliza was completely unaware that Vivienne had intercepted her text, and she was under constant surveillance.

With a confirmed response, Eliza began to prepare for the funeral.

On the day of the funeral, notables from Sea City gathered alongside the Boyds’ extended family. Despite their current misfortune, the Boyds maintained their dignity.

Eliza stood at the entrance in mourning attire, eagerly awaiting Nathan's arrival. She had not seen him in over two decades and wondered how he had aged. Knowing him, he would have only grown more distinguished, just as unforgettable as more than two decades ago.

As guests arrived, Eliza scanned for the one face she yearned to see but saw none. Instead, Vivienne and Percival, clad in striking red, stepped out of a flashy red sports car.

The crowd murmured. It was Percival’s grandmother's funeral; how could they be so thoughtless? But Eliza was not upset. In fact, she was smug. The more outrageous Vivienne and Percival acted, the better for her. And her immediate goal was to reclaim the Boyd family’s siring and find a way to Nathan.

Cecilia had replied that she would attend the funeral, which meant Nathan would, too.

One funeral, two birds.

Wiping away fake tears, Eliza advanced, offering a bouquet. “Percival, pay respects to your grandma. She won't hold this against you.” Percival took the flowers, and he and Vivienne made a token gesture. It was plain to see their hearts were not in i) Sin the crowd could not bear to watch. Regardless of the circumstances, this was a funeral, and they were showing disrespect not just with their attire but in their lack of reverence.

“Percival, for heaven's sake, that was your grandmother,” someone in the crowd admonished, a hint of disbelief in their tone.

A chorus of agreement followed, voices tinged with disappointment and judgment.

“Respect for the dead is the least you could do. Can't you even pretend to have sdecency?” “You're being downright shameful, unworthy of calling yourselves human!” Amid the murmurs of accusation, Percival swept his gaze over the gathering, and the grumbling voices fell silent once more.

Eliza saw her chance and stepped in to smooth things over.Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates...

“Percival, folks are just taken aback by what you're wearing today. | know you and my sister harbor shard feelings toward your grandma, but she only ever had your best interests at heart. Let's put all those misunderstandings behind us, shall we?” It was then that the crowd realized Cecilia, Percival’s mother, was conspicuously absent from her mother’s funeral! No wonder Percival was acting out. It all traced back to their mother’s neglect.

Vivienne watched Eliza coolly. She found her utterly foolish, even more so than Arabella had been in her day.

To date, Eliza was quite possibly the dimmest bulb she had ever encountered.

“Eliza, what misunderstandings are you referring to?” Vivienne inquired.

Catching a glimpse of the ring on Vivienne’s finger, a dark glint flashed in Eliza's eyes. “Ms. Hawthorn, if you're engaged to Percival, dothe courtesy of calling‘Auntie.’ This is my mother’s funeral, and | had no intention of causing a scene, but you keep pushing my limits and showingdisrespect. Do you really wantto reveal the true cause of my mother’s death in front of all these people?” Eliza challenged.

Vivienne crossed her arms, her interest piqued. “By all means, do tell.”