The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Vivienne’s mind was clear.

Having Anna by her side was a blessing in disguise; they could fulfill their mothers’ last wishes together.

Vivienne took Anna on a tour of the lab, and Anna’s eyes sparkled with growing excitement. She had heard tales from her mother about these experiments since she was a child, and now, armed with her current medical knowledge, she was eager to dive in.

Just then, Rex emerged with a new research report in hand. Spotting Vivienne, he made a beeline for her, inadvertently edging Anna aside. “I think we need to pivot here; the methodology is off, don’t you think?”

Vivienne was taken aback by Rex’s swift progress, having made so many advances in just half an hour.

“Right,” Vivienne said, taking the report from Rex, and they began to hash out the future direction of their research. They were remarkably in sync on several points.

However, Rex’s focus leaned towards studying the toxicity of potions.

Their discussion was animated, and while Anna could follow along at first, she soon found herself lost in the technicalities.

She stepped back, no longer wanting to interrupt, and waited for Vivienne.

Anna glanced over at Percival, who was waiting off to the side with a nonchalant look on his face, and she was slightly surprised.

Percival did not seem jealous of the handsome man getting cozy with Vivienne. She remembered distinctly how Percival had reacted to Aaron before—his face dark as coal when he closed the car window.

Fiddling with Vivienne’s phone, Percival caught Anna’s gaze and looked up indifferently as if to say, “Of course.”

He was not the jealous type.

Vivienne was at work, handling serious business. Her work was far more critical than any fleeting jealousy. He was not a green-eyed monster.

Leopold snorted from the driver’s seat, “As if you’re not the jealous type. I’d eat my hat!”

Thomas chimed in, “Hard to disagree.”

discussion with Rex, the

Vivienne said as she set down

turned to Anna, “Did you catch

Anything I’m unclear about, I’ll compile

pocketed her pen,

Rex seemed reluctant to end the conversation, he knew better than to keep Vivienne from leaving

across Rex’s face as Vivienne’s silhouette receded. He grasped the report tightly, changed

irritation was apparent in the car as she looked at her phone. Her wallpaper, lock screen, Facebook cover, chat interface—everything had been switched to various images of

had complimented Thomas once, and Mr. Wolf had held onto it for

he had been so eager to get his hands

as he said with a magnetic voice, “Vivienne, I’m the most

Vivienne was speechless.

not

driving, suddenly announced, “Vivienne, we’ve got a

her phone and leaned on Percival’s

closer to their tail, but in a

they’re pros,”

sighed. “Ms. Vivienne, I told you

scornful look. It

coolly. “They’re

Vivienne’s

Vivienne was the best!

need work. It’s embarrassing,” Vivienne

Leopold was instantly deflated.

tail’s gone. Where to?” Leopold’s energy

they had

today anyway but had not

occupant of Vanguard Agency’s secret

outside while Vivienne and Percival entered. Scott was sitting in a chair, lost in thought, hooked up to a heart rate monitor, seemingly in