The Million-Dollar Heart novel Chapter 1096

The next day.

"Ah!"

A startled cry echoed through the Linklater household.

Isaiah was the first to dash out, only to see Juliette holding a note, looking utterly dumbstruck. "What happened?" he asked.

Juliette turned around, handing the note to Isaiah with a complicated expression. "Mom's left us to go on a retreat!"

Isaiah, "A retreat?"

Juliette was fuming. "Yes! That's exactly what mom wrote. She also told us to get on good terms with Mr. Boyd, to treat him like he's our real dad!"

As the words left her mouth, Yorick, Arthur, and Sasha entered the room.

Yorick, anxious, asked, "Juliette, why did you scream so loud? What's happened?"

Juliette threw herself into Yorick's arms, "Grandpa, mom doesn't want us anymore. She said she's going on a retreat with no set return date!"

Yorick was stunned. He turned to Arthur and Sasha, "Vivienne's gone on a retreat? Did she mention anything to you guys before this?"

Arthur was equally perplexed. "She didn't tell me anything."

He then turned to Sasha, "Did she tell you?"

Sasha shook her head. "No."

"What's with this sudden retreat, then?" Arthur's expression grew serious. "Could something have happened?"

Over the years, he had gradually stepped back from the forefront, letting Vivienne handle most things.

They hadn't inquired much about Vivienne's work or why she would suddenly decide to go on a retreat, whether it was work-related or something else.

Sasha frowned slightly, then said after a moment, "Vivienne knows what she's doing. If she wants to go on a retreat, let her be."

Arthur glanced at Sasha but didn't press further.

Hearing this, Yorick turned to Juliette and Isaiah, "Your mom's just gone on a retreat. It won't be long before she's back. Don't be upset. Why don't you two visit your grandparents in the meantime? I doubt your mom has told them yet."

Juliette and Isaiah exchanged looks and nodded, "We understand, Grandpa!"

After everyone else had left, Juliette turned to Isaiah. "What do we do now? Mom's not here. Do we still go ahead with our plan to coax dad out?"

Isaiah thought for a moment before saying, "Let's try to get on Mr. Boyd's good side!"

"What?" Juliette's eyes widened. "And you say you haven't betrayed us?"

Isaiah rolled his eyes. "Who said I've betrayed anyone?"

Juliette huffed. "You just said we should get on Mr. Boyd's good side!"

Isaiah, exasperated, "Then why do you think I want to get on his good side? And why do you think mom suddenly went on a retreat?"

Juliette tapped her chin, thinking for a moment before her eyes lit up. "I overheard mom talking with Grandpa Finnian yesterday. He's been pretending to go on retreats these past years, but he hasn't actually been. He's been investigating something!"

She hadn't heard everything clearly because she didn't want Vivienne to notice her eavesdropping. She only caught bits about not really going on a retreat and investigating something.

"So..."

Before Juliette could finish her thought, Isaiah interjected, "Mom's gone on a retreat!"

Juliette chuckled, "Right!"

Harbor City. Luck Village.