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

to discuss with Jasper, and took the

yard, Jasper shut off the oven Zelda had left

I’ve looked into the engineer you mentioned, but there’s not much to go on

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

We can’t let

with his cane, pointing at the chaotic front yard. “Clean this up and find a

sighed silently. “Zelda bake? If she can separate eggs without making a

unsuccessfully separated eggs, already dreading the egg-heavy

…

Vivienne returned from the Ellington family, Anna came home from school to

results – unlike

you’re back,” Anna said, ruffling Thaddeus’s hair and handing him a

Anna!” Thaddeus finished his last stroke, grabbed the PSP, and scampered

Vivienne, I can’t reach headquarters, but Hotshot sent me a coded message telling me not to report in for a while. I don’t know

nodded. “Alright, I

this feeling that headquarters is trying to sideline the captain’s people. Husky’s been sent to the outskirts, Captain Charlotte’s been suspended, Hotshot is on standby without

Vivienne. “Is something going to

sprawled lazily on the

pick him up before I leave

Play bodyguard for a few more days, and it’ll be over,” Vivienne said, stretching on the

“Ms. Vivienne, how many more

Vivienne turned to face Anna, propping her head with one hand.

bit her lip, her expression troubled. “It’s just… Kenneth. He’s a bit of a

Oh?

perked up – unexpected

mouth twitched. “It’s nothing major, but Kenneth keeps hanging around Elite

the latest drama unfolding.Books Chapters Are

clutching her throw pillow, and stared at Anna with wide

a bouquet of roses