The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Anna suddenly raised her voice, startling the two men in the room.

Seeing Anna's strong reaction, Arnold instantly understood the unspoken tension between her and Soren.

Soren, on the other hand, felt a sinking feeling in his heart the moment he saw Anna's eagerness to clarify the misunderstanding.

Was she that worried Arnold might misinterpret their relationship?

The title "Captain" suddenly irked Soren, even though it was what Anna should call him. He found himself increasingly agitated by

it.

"Captain, huh?" Arnold sensed the tension and positioned himself between them. "If that's the case, maybe it's better to keep a

distance. What if people get the wrong idea?"

Soren glanced at Arnold, his hostility evident, unaware that this only fueled Arnold's excitement.

Anna was terrified of a confrontation between Soren and Arnold. Despite Arnold's stature, he wasn't exactly known for his physical

strength. A fight would undoubtedly end in Soren's favor, and how could she explain that to Arnold's parents?

Interrupting their standoff, Anna asked, "Arnold, what did you need to seeabout? Why did you evene up?"

"You didn’t see my message about my mom inviting us over for dinner? | cto pick you up," Arnold replied.

Anna had missed the message, having fallen asleep lost in thoughts of Soren's enticing 'goodnight.’

Blushing at the memory, she found herself at a loss for words.

Soren, unaware of her turmoil, assumed her blush was from excitement about visiting Arnold's house. Deciding to leave, he said,

"Well, | won't keep you. Thanks for last night; I'll handle the lab work."

He left before Anna could respond, leaving her frozen in place.

"What are you looking at? My parents are waiting, and my dad cback from abroad just for this. You want to keep them

waiting?" Arnold lightly tapped Anna's head.

Soren, witnessing this interaction, felt his last hopes shatter.

Anna saw disbelief and hurt in Soren's eyes, prompting her urge to explain, which Arnold quickly dismissed.

"Let's go, we still need to buy groceries," Arnold said, pulling Anna's hand and leading her outside.

Soren, left behind, reconciled with the thought that at least Anna wouldn't have to endure a life of uncertainty with him.

Upon arriving at Arnold's, his parents greeted Anna warmly. "It's been so long, Anna. How have you been?"

"You're looking more beautiful than ever. Look at you, all grown up into a fine young lady!"

"Let's not stand out here,e in. We can catch up over dinner."

The once quiet house buzzed with excitement at Anna's arrival.

Graham and Brooke had endless topics to discuss with Anna, leaving Arnold feeling somewhat neglected.

"So, you've graduated from college, Anna? Have you been dating anyone?" Brooke offered Anna a glass of water with a curious

look.

Anna hesitated but decided against lying to Brooke. "No, | haven't."

"Oh? Such high standards? Or maybe you're just focused on your career. That's good," Brookemended, "It's important for

young women to prioritize their careers."

Whispering to Anna, Brooke added, "Men can be unreliable. It's best to be self-sufficient before worrying about relationships. You're

still young."

Anna agreed, smiling at the advice.

The topic of dating led Brooke to sigh, a signal Arnold recognized as trouble.

As he attempted to escape, Brooke's words stopped him. "You don’t give us any worries, unlike some. If only you were half as

straightforward, I'd be grateful."

Arnold, facing his mother's stern look, calmly responded, "lI have my plans for my personal life. Please don't worry."

"How can | not worry?!" Brooke stood up, visibly upset. "If you're not into girls, fine, but you won't even bring a boyfriend home.

Are we not open-minded enough? You've kept us in the dark about your love life, and that's not fair to us."

Anna, caught in the middle, felt the tension rise, having not anticipated such a confrontation.

Brooke, after calming down, reassured Anna with a knowing look, "It's always the girls who understand. What to do with you,

Arnold?"

"Arnold, you're tellingyou still haven't brought her over?" Anna was genuinely surprised. "Don't tellyou guys broke up?"

"Break up? No way!" Arnold was quick to deny. "We're doing just fine!"

"Then why wouldn't you bring her here?" Brooke nearly threw her mug across the room in frustration.

Hearing themotion, Graham walked out of the kitchen. "What's got your mom all riled up this time?"

"It's a misunderstanding, Anna, backup here."

But Anna ignored Arnold's pleading look, forming a united front with the other two against him.

The skirmish only ended when Arnold agreed to bring his girlfriend over, much to everyone's relief. "Finally, | can breathe easy.

Now it's Anna’s turn," Brooke chuckled at the dinner table, her mood visibly brightened.

Arnold, still miffed that Anna hadn't spoken up for him, couldn't help but make a snarkyment. "Oh, sure, because our little

‘cabbage’ here is about to be snatched up soon, and then you'll all be in a tizzy!"

Anna looked at Arnold, baffled, but he didn't return her gaze.

The elders immediately jumped on the topic. "Is that true, Anna? Who's the young man? What's his name, and does his family live

around here?"

"We have to vet him for you!"