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.

somewhat related to her, she was not

but she would never blame herself

Vivienne, unsure of what to

words, never using two where one

and stated flatly, “Baron, I’m here to pack up. I won’t be staying at the Brooks

I’m not

This case… Richard and I have been investigating it in the shadows for years. If we

raised an eyebrow,

and don’t worry about anything else,” Baron said with finality. “We’re discussing the future of the Brooks family. You

mind where I stay as long as you all are

her. “Do you

that, he glanced over at

Vivienne; it was just hard to

coming to

the old lady had ten lives on her conscience,

and Percival had done merely brought

gaze then fell on Scott, who remained

did not say more and

that Vivienne has paid the penalty fee, it’s up

could not be doing too badly, especially with that black card filled with funds, and with the backing of the Ellington

Kala nodded. “Alright.”

was one of our own and made a mistake, we can’t shirk responsibility. I’ll 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

She had assumed Scott would be the

seemed under the thumb of Richard and was frequently in the sanatorium, had appeared

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

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

and need to

others busied themselves