The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Astrid chuckled dryly.

Mature enough?

If leaked, the research material in the lab would send shock waves around the globe.

Yet, in Vivienne’s words, it was merely mature enough?

Astrid glanced at her and asked, “So, you agree to stay in the lab?”

Vivienne nodded. “Yeah.”

Astrid breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. “Thanks, Vivienne. I really appreciate you agreeing to be part of this experiment. Our progress will surely skyrocket now.”

Vivienne did not respond. Instead, she turned her gaze to the car window, watching the streetlights fall, and a slow smile spread across her lips.

After dropping Vivienne off at home, Astrid did not go upstairs. Instead, she turned the car around and drove away.

In the back seat lay the experimental data Vivienne had revised that day.

…

Returning home, Dorian and Cordelia were already asleep, and even though the light was on in Thaddeus’ room, he was sound asleep, too.

Vivienne switched off Thaddeus’ light and entered her own room.

The moment she opened the door, her steps faltered, her eyes sharpening instantly.

A chill ran through her as she looked towards the window – a piece of paper was wedged in the crack.

This was the twenty-third floor; unless it was an inside job, this kind of infiltration was extraordinary!

She was sure that apart from Dorian’s family, no one else was here.

Obviously, she was dealing with a pro!

She walked over and pulled out the paper.

The message was a mishmash of newspaper cutouts, and crooked letters forming a single line.

[The TCL Lab.]

she clenched the paper tightly in her

who sent this was not the same mysterious

could it

Suddenly, she smirked.

had his fill of the outside world, that old coot was

it? Did he want to see if she had lost

out her phone and opened Twitter, posting one simple tweet,

signing up for Twitter, but Matthew had insisted it

used it since signing

had gradually become a public figure, and her Twitter followers had grown. She

nine ‘brothers’ from the same master were the first to get the

were clueless, they knew there was only one person in the world who could owe Vivienne money:

bucks,

he had faked his death, leaving them grieving

public call for payment, it was clear the old man

miss out

echoing Vivienne’s message,

those of the nine, were baffled, wondering who

fans asked who owed her, only Leopold replied seriously, “The

new account for Finnian and tagged him in a post, [Master, a grand isn’t a fortune. Time to

sent their followers into

What was going on?

master dodging a

nowadays would cover

followers began to retweet and tag Finnian, urging him

Leopold’s tweet, the other

you’ve got guts! Aren’t you afraid the

Leopold! I support you.

mourn for you

[What’s there to fear? A man’s gotta have backbone!

Did Vivienne treat you right for nothing? It’s her hard-earned money the old man owes. Aren’t we supposed to help her get it back? If I were you, I’d be tweeting right now,

Jerry: [Makes sense!]

this time. We stand with Vivienne and must stand up for

[Enough talk. I’ve retweeted

disciples also tweeted, tagging him and demanding

retweeting frenzy, shooting Vivienne’s debt-collection campaign to the top