The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

In a clandestine surveillance room somewhere.

Calista’s wrists were bound by handcuffs, surrounded by stark white walls that seamlessly blended with the door. A shiver ran down her spine, and fear pounded in her heart.

She had been knocked unconscious by Percival and when she came to, she found herself trapped in this sterile cell, too terrified to resist.

Had her research on the viruses been discovered? Would that mean the death penalty?

No, it couldn’t be!

Lost in thought, Calista was jolted back to reality by the sound of the door unlocking. Her eyes widened in alarm as she watched the door intently.

Soon after, a figure in a black trench coat entered the room. It was Mr. B, who tossed a key toward her without a word.

It was the key to her cuffs.

“Mr. B, what’s going on? Where am I? Do I still have to return to the lab?”

Before she could get her bearings, Calista was met with a slap that sent her tumbling to the floor.

Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth as the blow nearly knocked her out.

“Fool, who gave you permission to collaborate with Fiona behind our backs?” Mr. B’s voice was harsh and undisguised. There was no need for pretense anymore; Calista’s identity had been exposed, and from now on, she could only operate under strict surveillance.

Calista was stunned. Mr. B was a woman?

Mr. B removed her hat, revealing Astrid’s familiar face, the disguise still in place, “Tell me, where is Boar Poison?”

Calista, regaining her senses, was shocked to see Mr. B’s true appearance.

“You’re Vivienne’s sister!”

Mr. B merely rolled her eyes, “Answer my question.”

Boar Poison. She said she’d hand it over at the critical moment for me to use on

ground her

had thought this might be the moment to seize Boar Poison, but Fiona had hidden

vital goods for GTO had always depended on

assumed Fiona was working alone, never suspecting she had an organization backing

Poison, especially since Karen’s research had

that Boar Poison had resurfaced,

on the floor,

Calista hesitated before placing her hand

arm might rip from its socket. The next instant, Mr. B had her by the neck, “Calista, do

ran through Calista. The gentle face before her inspired a deep-seated terror, “I… I don’t

your medical expertise. If you can’t

run through her. She was playing with fire,

develop it, I’ll definitely get it

with a few dripping sounds, Mr. B disgustedly threw Calista

longer an option for you. You’ll be taken to your new

wiping her hands disdainfully, Mr. B turned

tears of regret. Her remorse was beyond words. If only she had known Vivienne was Specter Healer, she never would have crossed her. Now, she couldn’t

…

At TCL Labs.

had brought Vivienne

Holden approached, “The director’s not here,

on with your

the hat-wearing woman behind

beautiful woman! But who would dare to look

better, Holden averted his

Calista’s office door, which now

card from nowhere, he slid it through the reader

full of surprises,”

“It’s a necessary skill when you’re

so-called essential skills at Vanguard Agency, which