The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

As soon as Vivienne finished speaking, Percival and Leopold both paused for a beat.

Leopold, who was driving, quickly asked, “Vivienne, what exactly does this organization do?”

He was aware of the situation with Fiona but had never heard of this organization before, so he was trying to get his head around it.

“It’s similar to the Frostfire Intelligence Agency,” Vivienne explained. “They take on tasks assigned by clients – finding people, finding objects, all sorts of stuff. Paula once tried to hire CK to find her daughter, but CK didn’t take the job.

But CK… They don’t have any lines they won’t cross. If the price is right, they’ll even deal in human trafficking, like Fiona did when she hid Astrid for Mr. B. Fiona claimed it was her first time, but it certainly wasn’t CK’s first rodeo.”

Leopold caught on. “So, the baby trafficking cases from before, they had CK’s fingerprints all over them.”

“Exactly,” Vivienne replied, her expression darkening.

CK was a group that had risen to prominence in the past few years, a bit later than the Frostfire Intelligence Agency.

However, because they played by no rules, some individuals with sinister motives sought them out. For their own gain, they would harm other people’s families and their lives.

Thus, CK was more popular in the underworld.

Percival’s deep eyes narrowed as his voice dropped an octave. “Fiona only claimed she was the head of CK and did everything herself.”

“She’s contradicting herself.” Leopold clicked his tongue. “She said that the Astrid thing was her first time dealing in human trafficking, but we know for a fact that CK has trafficked infants before. How could it be the first time?”

“She’s not telling the truth,” Percival murmured, his long fingers tapping slowly on the windowpane.

After a moment, he spoke again, “Let’s head to the safe house.”

Leopold nodded, stepping on the gas as they headed toward the safe house.

Fiona was rather comfortable there, rising punctually each day, passing her free time with books, newspapers, and the news. When questioned, she repeated the same few lines.

She claimed she was the leader of CK, did not know who Mr. B was, and that all transactions were through the Ellington Group and Jeffrey’s art gallery.

Percival entered, finding Fiona absorbed in a painting by Eulalia, or in other words, by Vivienne.

approach, Fiona barely lifted her eyelids, but upon

could I trouble you for something?”

replied nonchalantly, hands

of silence, Fiona looked up. “I would like to see all of your previous

eyebrow, not

treating this place

curved into a smirk as

do you want?” Fiona’s eyes shimmered with a hint of

could want a lot of things. Money? Strawberry cheesecake? Rare herbs? Or

slightly, the smile on her lips growing. “Information on Black Dragon, the elusive

the

was the code

ever managed to find any information about

so long, had not found any information about the leader, even though Fiona

seemed to

up.

it hard to find information on a leader of a shady

a pause, Fiona replied, “Since you’re so informed, there’s no need to ask me. Besides, I wouldn’t tell you

propped on her hand. “I’m not planning on asking you. However, if you want my designs, you

time before looking up. “Anything else I can give, just not information about Black

on her legs, pondered for a while, then said, “I don’t

why are

Percival, asking with a faint smile, “Mr.

twitched. His Vivienne’s knack for infuriating people seemed

next to Vivienne, his long fingers entwining with hers, his voice

pay for your expenses. You’re too high-maintenance. I can’t afford you no matter how rich

not high-maintenance. Just make me spaghetti from

eyes lit up. “That I

“Enough! I don’t want to see you

turned to her and said, “Though I have everything I need, my designs are

startled, her emotions betraying her control for a moment.

known only to her, the

highest authorities in CK,