The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Everyone looked up as Vivienne walked in, her pace slow and measured. Clad in a plain tee and jeans, the simplicity of her attire was offset by the icy expression that seemed permanently etched onto her delicate features.

Kala watched her, emotions churning within her.

After a moment, she spoke up, “No need. I’ll handle it myself.”

She was at a loss for how to treat Vivienne now.

After all, it was not Vivienne who had affected her work, but there was an undeniable discomfort whenever she saw Vivienne.

Did she blame Vivienne?

No.

After all, her grandmother had genuinely committed murder, and not just once, but tenfold.

For twenty years, the families of the victims had been deprived of the truth.

Her grandmother’s fate was deserved.

She just could not face Vivienne.

It seemed ever since Vivienne’s return, everyone she was close to had changed.

Vivienne approached her, her face serious. “Judith’s death was a consequence of her actions. If she hadn’t resisted arrest, she wouldn’t have been shot in front of you. And the media exposure you faced wasn’t my doing. I covered your penalty fees as a gesture of goodwill. You were the only one who treated me with genuine kindness after I joined the Brooks family.”

When the Brooks first took her in, everyone had been considerate, but there was always an ulterior motive.

Only Kala had been genuinely kind to her.

That was just how Vivienne was unable to ignore those who were sincerely kind to her.

to her,

she would never blame herself for

unsure of what to

since Vivienne had come back, she had been a woman of few words, never using two where one would

here to pack up. I won’t

bail when the going gets tough? I’m not dead yet. Even in hard times,

isn’t on you. Even if it weren’t you and Percival, I wouldn’t have spared her. This case… Richard and I have been investigating it in the shadows for years. If we had discovered the truth sooner, perhaps the

raised an

Baron said with finality. “We’re discussing the future of the Brooks family. You should listen in. You’re nearly twenty. It’s time you learned

as long

her. “Do you

glanced over at Timothy and the

peers wore embarrassed expressions. It was not that they blamed Vivienne; it

coming to

all, the old lady had ten lives on her conscience, and she could not

Percival had done merely

on Scott, who remained silent

not say more and took

penalty fee, it’s up to you whether you want to stay in

badly, especially with that black card filled with funds, and with the backing of the Ellington family, a penalty fee was nothing to

Kala nodded. “Alright.”

issue an apology and provide compensation for the victims’ families. On top of that, we need to push forward new projects. We’re venturing into robotics, and Griffin will join our team. Everyone needs to play their part so the Brooks family

was intrigued. She had assumed Scott would be the one to turn things around,

of Richard and was frequently in the sanatorium, had appeared less capable

orchestrating a comeback with new projects and had even managed to recruit Griffin,

the ancient warrior lineage? Were the Rivenwood families not reluctant to deal with those from such

I’m tired and need to rest,” Baron

and the others busied