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

person who sent this was not the same

could

Suddenly, she smirked.

the outside world, that old coot was

was it? Did he want to see if

pulled out her phone and

signing up for Twitter, but Matthew had insisted it was the rage and would not stop nagging until she gave

signing up, just letting

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

same

others were clueless, they knew there was only one person

thousand bucks, unpaid

his death, leaving

call for payment, it was clear the old

how could they miss out on helping Vivienne

all nine tweeted, echoing

as well as those of the nine, were baffled, wondering who owed her money

only Leopold replied seriously, “The debtor is

him in a post, [Master, a grand isn’t a fortune.

tweet sent their

What was going on?

Vivienne’s master dodging

job nowadays

and Vivienne’s followers began to retweet and tag

Leopold’s tweet, the other

was the first to message the group, [Holy smokes! Leopold, you’ve got guts! Aren’t

one, Leopold! I support

[I’ll mourn for

A man’s gotta have backbone!

be tweeting right now, hounding the old man to pay! Isn’t Vivienne’s happiness worth more than your little troubles? Besides, who knows where that old guy is enjoying his life? If we don’t

Jerry: [Makes sense!]

time. We

talk. I’ve

rest of Finnian’s disciples also tweeted, tagging him

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