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.

eyelids, but upon seeing Vivienne,

trouble you for

Vivienne replied nonchalantly,

“I would like to see all of your

eyebrow, not knowing what

this place

lips curved into a smirk as she

you want?” Fiona’s eyes shimmered with a hint of hope upon Vivienne’s

“I could want a lot of things.

lips growing.

at the mention of

code name for

had ever managed to

had not found any information

Vivienne seemed to

looked up. “You found

on her face. “Is it hard to find information

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

leaned back in her chair, legs crossed, chin propped on her hand. “I’m not planning on asking you.

silent for quite some time before looking up. “Anything else I can give, just not information about

chin with her arms on her legs, pondered for a while, then said, “I don’t seem

thinking, “Then why are you

asking with a faint smile, “Mr. Wolf, what do I need? Can you

His Vivienne’s knack for infuriating people seemed

Vivienne, his long fingers entwining with hers, his voice smooth as velvet, “My Vivienne has everything she needs. She lacks

I have to pay for your

make me spaghetti from time to

up. “That I can

for words, yelling inside, “Enough! I don’t

heard Fiona’s inner thoughts, she turned to her and said, “Though I have everything I need, my designs are numerous. You

her emotions betraying her control

code name known only to

were the highest authorities in CK, and all orders filtered down from