The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Chapter 68

At a coffee shop.

Vivienne stood at the entrance of the coffee shop, scanning the room, the brim of her baseball cap pulled down low enough to cover her face, before striding in.

She reached the door of a booth, pushed it open, and stepped in.

The man inside immediately stood up at her entrance, “Boss!”

He, too, was dressed in all black with a baseball cap on. Unlike Vivienne, he was also wearing a mask. You couldn’t even see his eyes unless he looked up.

His name was Draven.

It wasn’t his real name. He had started using it when he began following Vivienne. As for his original name, he couldn’t remember anymore.

Vivienne closed the door, shot him a glance and said, “Don’t pick places like this next time.”

Draven replied, “Yes, boss.”

Vivienne sat down, poured herself a cup of coffee, and took a sip.

It was good coffee, but it couldn’t compare to the coffee at Cordelia’s place.

“Boss, I’ve turned the Hawthorn family’s old mansion upside down, but I couldn’t find the other bottle of potion,” Draven stood behind Vivienne, his tone serious.

Vivienne furrowed her brows, “Did you check everywhere?”

“I’ve checked everywhere. I even moved the tiles in the mansion’s bathroom, but I didn’t find anything,” Draven responded, “I’ve also planted a bug in Beatrice Hawthorn’s room. She’s never mentioned the potion to anyone. Is it possible that the information was wrong and the potion isn’t at the Hawthorn family’s?”

“There’s no way,” Vivienne said in a low voice, “My mother took two bottles of potion away. | have one, and the other was left at the Hawthorn family’s.”

This was what her mother had told her on her deathbed.

At the time, her mother was worried about getting her involved and hadn’t planned on telling her. But after receiving a phone call at the last moment, she changed her mind.

Her mother had given her a bottle of potion and told her to keep it safe, also told her that there was another one at the Hawthorn family’s…

And then, her mother passed away.

purpose for going to the Hawthorn family

cranny of the Hawthorn family’s. If it’s not there, it could only be

12:05

head, “It’s not with him

she’d first moved in, but she didn’t

Tranquil Estates, she’d searched again, but

sent Draven to search the Hawthorn

Hawthorn family’s either –

possible that Dorian knew the importance of the potion and didn’t keep

it really

his home, where

ask Dorian directly?” Draven

Vivienne lowered her

sure what kind

to be,

knowing for sure if

to make sure Dorian

“By the way, there are two other teams looking for the potion recently. One is GTO, and the other’s identity is unknown. I didn’t

found

You’re in danger

“Shouldn’t they be

words. He knew his boss would say something like

boss is always so

took a sip of her coffee, stood up, and said, “Have your people pull out from the Hawthorn family. You don’t need

“But you..”

his shoulder a pat and flashed him a mischievous

won’t die.”

Draven was speechless.

214

12.05

the coffee shop, Vivienne returned

and the others were

came to greet her,

She had been thinking about that

bring it to you.” Cordelia knew Vivienne hadn’t eaten, so she quickly went to the

were playing chess, and Isolde was playing with

and Thomas were each holding a phone, engrossed in

sofa, directly opposite Percival. She glanced at him

mentioned that another team was looking for the potion. She had a hunch this might be

his mother today was certainly not