The Million-Dollar Heart

Vivienne had no patience left for pointless interactions, so she turned on her heel and walked away.
Hailey was left standing there, mouth agape in shock, unable to react before Vivienne, the spirited young woman, had already
left her behind. How could she face anyone now?
Her face flushed with indignation as she huffed with frustration, looking desperately towards Yorick for some form of justice.
Yorick, seated comfortably in an armchair, fixed Hailey with a serious look. "Hailey, you're not getting any younger. You've just
returned, and you're already picking fights with the younger generation? Thank goodness this is within the Linklater family. If this
had been public, it would've been the talk of the town."
"Family is family. We should stick together through thick and thin."
With those words of wisdom, Yorick added before leaving, "And let me be clear, this isn't just for Hailey. This goes for every
member of the Linklater family. Take it to heart!"
Arthur and Sasha nodded in agreement.
Dracon, standing off to the side, his expression a mix of emotions, suddenly felt guilty as if his grandfather had seen through his
facade. Thus, he pretended to agree fervently with Yorick's words, and Cassidy, somewhat convinced, nodded along too.
As Vivienne left the grand entrance of the Linklater estate, she pulled out her car keys, ready to drive to Rivenwood to a boutique
she had her eyes on for some time. She planned to order a pair of custom- made diamond rings there.
Her stomach betrayed her with its growls, reminding her she had skipped breakfast at the Linklater household. She stopped at a
corner where a few breakfast joints beckoned.
"Young lady, how about some multigrain pancakes or perhaps a hand-held pie? I also have some homemade eight-treasure
porridge," offered an elderly woman, pushing a cart filled with goodies, her smile warm and inviting.
Vivienne approached, her interest piqued by the aroma and sight of the eight-treasure porridge, noticing it contained lotus seeds.
"Do you have a seat?" she inquired.
The elderly woman, charmed by Vivienne's grace, replied, "You're such a lovely young lady. Since you're my first customer today,
there are a couple of chairs over there. Feel free to grab one, but I'm afraid I don't have any tables yet. I've just started for the
day."

Vivienne nodded, finding no issue with standing as long as she wasn't eating, and ordered a hand-held pie with egg but no green
onions, and a serving of the eight-treasure porridge.
Sitting down with her phone in hand, she reviewed the design drafts for a pair of diamond rings she had personally designed,
feeling something was amiss but unable to pinpoint what.
The elderly woman served the piping hot pie filled with tenderloin and extra slices for Vivienne, flipping the vegetables slightly for
a bit more cook, adding a fried egg, and garnishing with special salad dressing and ketchup before rolling it up and delivering it
personally to Vivienne.
Feeling slightly embarrassed by the attention, Vivienne thanked her and suggested, "I can fetch the porridge myself, no need to
trouble yourself."
The elderly woman smiled brightly, waving her hand dismissively. "No trouble at all. I see you're busy. Are those ring designs on
your phone?" Vivienne nodded, not minding as she showed the designs to the elderly woman.
The elderly woman studied the designs intently. "The one on the left is the lady's ring, right? And the one on the right is the man's
ring?"
"Yes, the left one is for me, and the right one is for my fiancé, Mr. Wolf," Vivienne replied, speaking as if sharing family stories.
"You have a lovely relationship. But I think the lady's ring could use more diamonds around the band, spaced just a bit. The main
diamond should be smaller to avoid looking too overwhelming."
Her suggestions sparked an epiphany in Vivienne, who then inquired if the lady had professional experience.
The elderly woman admitted to her past as a jewelry designer and shared a tale of lost love, reminding Vivienne to cherish those
who matter most.
Their conversation, surrounded by the fragrance of eight-treasure porridge and the warmth of shared stories, was a moment of
the connection between two souls from different generations, bound by artistry of jewelry and the complexities of love.
Vivienne nodded, visibly moved.
The elderly woman smiled, though her smile was tinged with regret. "Dear, cherish the one who treats you well. For some, a true
love only comes once in a lifetime."

The image of Percival's handsome face came to Vivienne's mind, his features lighting up with a sweet smile. "He treats me well,
too. I won't be leaving him. And thank you for your advice on choosing an engagement ring today."
"I guess he was your first love?"
The old woman's expression froze momentarily then softened. "You guessed right. Once it's gone, it's gone. But back then, I
didn't understand. Despite everything we'd been through, I couldn't fathom how he could firmly refuse to get back together. And
even after pursued him for years, he never looked back."
Vivienne, munching on her hand-held pie and sipping on her eight-treasure porridge, mumbled, "Did you ever get married then?"
The woman chuckled, shaking her head, her tone growing somber. "I met many men afterward, all different kinds. But none of
them were the one my heart truly yearned for."