The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Vivienne quickly grabbed a cup of coffee and a bagel for breakfast when the sound of a car engine announced the arrival of guests. Juliette and Isaiah were already at the door, buzzing with excitement.

Sasha and Arthur got out of the car, smiles spreading across their faces at the sight of the grandchildren. "Look at you two, Juliette and Isaiah, growing more beautiful and handsby the day!" Sasha exclaimed.

Arthur beamed at Isaiah, "Just look at my grandson, growing up so strong and handsome. Chere and let grandpa take a good look at you!" Sasha took Juliette's hand while Arthur ruffled Isaiah's hair as they made their way inside.

Floyd stood a bit apart, his face a mask of indifference despite the warm scene unfolding before him. He maintained a polite smile, albeit reluctantly.

Sasha caught sight of Floyd and greeted him, "Floyd, it's been too long." "Grandma, grandpa," Floyd nodded slightly in acknowledgment.

"You've been abroad for years without a visit, but finally, we got you back this year," Arthur said, clapping Floyd on the back as they walked inside. "How's everything going at the base?" "It's going well, I should be moving up by the end of the year if things continue this way," Floyd replied. "That's my boy, making contributions to the country. You'll cback hafter your project, right?" "Yes, once the experiment is done." Arthur seemed pleased with Floyd's response and after a brief chat, joined Sasha in catching up with Vivienne. "Mom, Dad," Vivienne greeted, guiding Sasha to sit down on the couch.

The conversation turned to family matters as Arthur started unloading gifts he'd brought for the children.

"Ccheck out what we've got for you. Your grandma and I spent ages picking these out, but we ended up just bringing everything over." Juliette and Isaiah glanced over nonchalantly; they were used to their grandparents' extravagant gestures. Vivienne had tried to warn her parents to keep it simple this year, but to no avail.

Floyd watched from a distance, his expression unchanging.

"Mom, I told you to keep it light. Birthdays happen every year; there's no need for such grandeur," Vivienne sighed, rubbing her temple.

Arthur waved off her concerns, "As long as my grandkids are happy, that's all that matters. They deserve to enjoy every year to the fullest." Noticing Floyd standing aside, Arthur tried to include him, "Floyd, there's something for you too. Don't be shy, have a look." Floyd politely declined, "It's their day, not mine. I shouldn't intrude." Arthur thought Floyd was just being modest, but Sasha intervened, supporting Floyd's decision.

"It's not about liking or not; it's their moment, I shouldn't interfere," Floyd added.

Vivienne nodded, "If Floyd says so, let's not push it. He'll speak up if he sees something he likes." Floyd offered a polite smile, though it didn't quite reach his eyes.

As the Perez family's arrival was imminent, Floyd felt a wave of irritation. The very thought of their chatter made his head ache. "I'm feeling a bit under the weather; I'll be in my room if needed." This was typical behavior for Floyd around this tof year, preferring solitude to socializing, and no one was surprised.

After Floyd left, Arthur's expression turned serious. "Doesn't anyone else think Floyd's been acting unusually since he got back?" Vivienne was caught off guard by Arthur's observation. Sasha added, "He does seem different, not at all like the boy who left. Has something happened?" Vivienne offered a vague reply, indicating that she and Mr. Wolf were stepping back from these matters.

Sasha and Isaiah shared their concerns, admitting they hadn't found anything concrete yet. Despite attempts to monitor Floyd, they found no evidence of wrongdoing.

The discussion was cut short by the arrival of the Perez family, their presence filling the house with noise and activity.

Floyd watched from his window, a cold anger in his eyes. He couldn't wait to be rid of them all. Grabbing his phone, he sent a message to increase the stakes of his plan ensuring no one from the Perez family would leave unscathed. Content belongs to en.kikistories"Make sure the charges are set. I want a clean sweep on the day, no survivors." "Understood," cthe reply.

Floyd looked impassively at the message, sitting on his bed, silently hoping for the dawn of tomorrow. How many would meet their end then? He couldn't say for sure.

Cdinner time.

Floyd had no choice but to descend from his room. The moment he stepped into the dining hall, he was bombarded with greetings from all around, his dazed expression not escaping notice.

"Didn't I hear that Haonan is working at an overseas research facility?" Jasper said, using his fork to transfer a rib to his plate. "You've been quiet about what kind of experiments you're up to." Floyd put down his fork, a serious tone taking over. "We're delving into scryptanalysis, revisiting texts that have ties to our family's history." Everyone was taken aback by Floyd's candidness. After all, this was a closely guarded secret, lsomething they'd rather feign ignorance about than confront head-on. Yet, Floyd didn't afford himself the luxury of denial. Content belongs to en.kikistories"You mean the family archives? Why dig up those old bones?" "I guess we're trying to understand why my dad made the choices he did back in the day." "Any news about your mom's situation?" This casual, yet intense exchange unfolded amidst the clinking of cutlery and low hum of conversation, revealing the complexities and unspoken tthat day within the fabric of their seemingly conventional American family dinner. Content belongs to en.kikistories.com