The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Astrid fidgeted nervously beside Vivienne, apparently still wracked with guilt over the previous day’s events.

Vivienne, unfazed, glanced at Astrid with eyes as soft as a strawberry cheesecake and stood up.

Astrid halted her with a call, “Vivienne.”

Vivienne’s lips curved into a smile, her bright eyes flashing with disinterest. “What is it?”

Astrid rose and approached her, lifting her shirt.

On her slender waist was a hideous black scar.

A knife wound, poisoned.

Astrid clenched her fist. “I got this on a mission when I fell into the enemy’s trap. Now, I still suffer from the pain, especially when it rains, my whole body aches.

Vivienne, I’m not trying to gain your sympathy. I just want to tell you that we’ve sacrificed our lives to ensure that our organization can develop a defense against the biochemical weapons of rival nations.

So, on behalf of the organization and our country, I’m inviting you to join our fight!”

Vivienne’s gaze fell on the scar on Astrid’s waist.

It was clearly real.

She grasped Astrid’s wrist and felt for her pulse.

The poison had been lurking in her body for years; she, indeed, had suffered greatly.

Vivienne casually took out a life-saving pill and popped it into Astrid’s mouth. “This poison isn’t hard to cure. Just come to me once a day.”

After a pause, she added, “I’m quite interested in what you’ve said. I’ll give it a try.”

Astrid froze, surprised. “You mean you agree?”

Vivienne nodded slightly. “Yeah, but I’m out if your experiments don’t meet my standards.”

“Great. You’ll find our experiments fascinating,” Astrid said with a smile. “I’ll notify the organization and see when they can take you to the lab.”

With that, Astrid went into her room.

Looking at her door, Vivienne let a sly smile creep onto her face.

her phone and texted Percival,

[Came up empty. You?]

[Hook, line, and sinker.]

expression from those words –

…

of the Ellington family’s

get out of bed

their imagination. A

the timely hospital visit, he might have lost his

to the couch. “I’m going stir-crazy lying in

lying there was useless; he was in

mind me. What about Fiona? Why was she

mention, Heloise bristled with anger. “What else? It was that wench Vivienne’s doing. Percival isn’t any better. No matter what, Fiona

of letting Fiona hog the spotlight. Now look what’s happened. What are we

shouting upstairs to Fiona’s room, “Fiona, what are you doing hiding all day? Think you can get back into the company that way? Come out and figure out how

mainstay of the Ellington family’s second branch, with half their

that she was out, they had lost a

parents’ and Jeffrey’s complaints below. She put on headphones, locked the

pressing concern.

in the art galleries; she also needed the Ellington Group’s resources and

was her

she failed to deliver as promised, it could cost her her

on her

in our hands, being moved as you

a close eye. I’ll find a

rubbed her fingertips, her usually cool face

unfamiliar number

hesitating, she answered,

woman’s voice replied, “Ms., I’m

Fiona paused.

Calista?

Fiona had heard of Calista

once-proclaimed prodigy of traditional medicine, the cheap daughter

also become reclusive. Why was she

can I do for you?” Fiona asked, her voice smooth, the earlier darkness

voice came through. “Got time for a

“Sure, see you soon.”

…