The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

At the Perez Mansion.

Jasper, balancing a box of strawberry shortcake, made his way inside.

Natalia and Yasmine blinked their dewy eyes and scampered towards Jasper in unison.

Zelda was engrossed in a YouTube tutorial, trying to master the art of the perfect strawberry shortcake.

“Dad, didn’t you go play chess with Richard? What brings you back so soon?” Zelda asked, setting aside her lopsided whipped cream to greet him.

Jasper opened the shortcake box and divided it into two generous slices for the eagerly waiting Natalia and Yasmine.

He waved off her concern with a smile. “Richard got wind that Vivienne and her grandson leaped off a cliff. Rushed off to check on them.”

Zelda gasped, startled. She had been preoccupied with her cake-making venture all day and had not caught any news. “A cliff? What happened?”

“Nothing serious, just a rescue mission. Vivienne and Percival are quite the capable pair,” Jasper chuckled.

Jasper had known about Vivienne and Percival’s heroic act at the racetrack since the previous night and had already dispatched Yuri to gather details. Even the intel about the engineer had been discreetly passed on to Leopold by Yuri.

So, his worry had long since passed.

Zelda breathed a sigh of relief. “You gave me quite the scare. I’ll have to remind Vivienne to steer clear of danger next time. How terrifying.”

Jasper glanced at the yard, where beaten eggs and cream were strewn about – even on Natalia and Yasmine. Sighing, he said, “Zelda, maybe you should steer clear of danger yourself.”

Zelda rubbed her nose with a grin. “No worries, I’m safe. The oven hasn’t exploded yet.”

Jasper did not protest further. His daughter-in-law was always chasing whims; last time, it was an obsession with braiding Natalia and Yasmine’s hair, which nearly ended with the girls being bald.

Now, it was strawberry shortcake, and who knew how long that phase would last?

began to clean up the eggshells from the

matters to discuss with

off the oven Zelda had left

in Rivenwood, but we’re unsure if it’s the same F-Poison from back then. I’ve looked into the engineer

– Percival and his right-hand man have been suspended, and Leopold’s been reassigned to the outskirts, away from core operations. Apparently, Fiona submitted

of it. We can’t let them

as he was about to leave, Jasper stopped him with his cane, pointing at the chaotic front yard. “Clean this up and find a proper place

can separate eggs without making a mess, I’d call it a

eggs, already dreading the egg-heavy meals ahead. In the Perez Mansion, nothing

…

returned from the Ellington family, Anna came home from school to find Thaddeus doing homework in the living

cold efficiency, but it got results –

Anna said, ruffling Thaddeus’s hair and handing him a PSP.

grabbed the PSP, and scampered to his room for some

two women entered Vivienne’s bedroom, and Anna closed the door firmly behind them. “Ms. Vivienne, I can’t reach headquarters, but Hotshot sent me a coded message telling me not to report in for a

nodded. “Alright, I

Charlotte’s been suspended, Hotshot is on standby without details, and the third squad has been scattered. There aren’t many left under Hotshot’s

Vivienne. “Is something going

lazily on the bed. “How’s

leave each day. All

be over,” Vivienne said, stretching on the bed, feeling sleepy after the evening

Vivienne, how many more

turned to face Anna, propping her head

expression troubled. “It’s just… Kenneth. He’s

Oh?

perked up

around Elite University, getting in the way. It’s

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her throw pillow, and stared at Anna

even paraded around with a bouquet of roses every day. It’s like he’s begging for