The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Scott’s normally stern face took on an even more sinister cast as he glared at Vivienne.

“When did you figure it out?” he asked, his voice deep and heavy with accusation.

He had always suspected that Vivienne would uncover his true identity, but he had not anticipated her discovery would come so swiftly.

Perhaps it was not today. Maybe she had known for quite some time, watching him like a court jester, smiling sweetly as he played his part, likely mocking him silently all the while.

“Let me think…” Vivienne propped her chin in her hand, feigning deep recollection. “I’d say it was around the time Rowan and Ismene disguised themselves as my foster parents.”

Scott felt his heart tighten, realizing she had known for longer than he thought.

Clearly, he had underestimated Vivienne.

Like mother, like daughter.

As the saying goes, a viper never gives birth to a dove.

“So, you didn’t come back to the Brooks family to find your biological father but to avenge your mother?” Scott’s voice was a low growl.

Vivienne’s lips curved slightly, but she remained silent.

Scott paused for a moment, then spoke again. “Since you know everything, you must also understand that I didn’t kill your mother.”

He had fallen for Karen at first sight, a love so sudden and all-consuming.

But he knew they would never have a future together.

When he discovered Karen was ‘Lark’, he knew his feelings would dissipate like mist. Because he was Scott, the high-ranking agent of GTO, the only person apart from the boss who knew the true face of Mr. B.

GTO was his allegiance, and Lark was its arch-nemesis.

For three years, he and Karen explored every nook of Rivenwood’s flower fields, witnessing the world’s most beautiful vistas together.

they would be forever, just

her intentions were as impure

the decision to use Paula as a pawn to kill Karen at

him apart. Because it

his

used his identity to eliminate over a hundred GTO

then Scott realized that Karen had recognized him all along. She had stayed silent, biding her time until she

could not tell if he felt relief

he would

appeared, Scott was absolutely certain she was Karen’s

knew Arabella was not his child, yet

not his daughter. He had never been intimate with Karen! Even though they had shared a bed that night, and the sheets bore the

man and so cunning, use intimacy with

to put to rest the faint hope in

match between him and Vivienne, he found solace,

time, the results from Frostfire Intelligence Agency came back positive: Vivienne was

believed that he had been with Karen that

knew someone would always shatter his self-deception. That person was

Scott’s countenance shift unpredictably, Vivienne knew precisely what he

risen from the underworld. “I know you didn’t kill my mother.

Scott remained silent.

spare me

was like a dagger, piercing Scott with

didn’t come here just to talk about my identity and your

don’t you

rejected the idea

who had elevated him. He

had anticipated this

wave of her hand, she released an odorless gas that shot

his neck, his eyes wide with disbelief as he watched Vivienne’s retreating