The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Patrick’s limbs were beyond his control, his body betraying him as he followed Vivienne’s retreating steps.

Behind him, Gillian’s heart-wrenching cries for her father echoed through the air, but he was powerless to respond.

Patrick finally felt the command of his body returned when they reached a secluded cabin on the ship.

But now, with both Percival and Anna guarding the door, escape was an impossibility.

“Kneel,” Vivienne commanded, her voice serene as she sat on the seat representing authority.

Patrick fell to his knees with a thud, not out of compulsion but from the sheer force of Vivienne’s presence.

His legs tingled with numbness, sharp pains shooting through his knees as if a thousand needles were pricking them.

Beads of sweat formed on his brow, trickling down his temples and disappearing onto his shoulders.

Vivienne sat with her legs crossed, her slender neck held high with disdain, a hint of scorn in her gaze.

As Patrick knelt, Vivienne wondered what her mother had seen in him. How could such a spineless man be entrusted with the critical technology of bionics?

She regarded him with contempt and curiosity, slowly pulling the small “Morning Glory” from her pocket and tossing it at Patrick.

Instinctively, he caught it, his forehead bulging with veins, paralyzed with fear.

When he saw what it was, he finally heaved a sigh of relief.

He had thought she had thrown a knife at him!

“Madam, what is this?” he stammered.

Vivienne raised an eyebrow, her voice calm. “A miniature bomb.”

Shocked to his core, Patrick scrambled behind the couch for cover.

He thought it was a knife, but it was even worse – a bomb! Vivienne was more reckless than his boss.

Who in their right mind tosses a bomb around like a toy?

Observing Patrick’s reaction, Vivienne could almost be certain of his innocence regarding the bomb incident that evening.

your ship,” she stated, her legs shifting position as she lounged back on

this. Even if we set aside your presence on the ship, my daughter and I were

know,” Vivienne murmured absentmindedly,

in relief and began to rise, “Could this be connected

sharpened as she looked at him.

the bionic tech, I could not completely sever our relationship. I thought of sending an invite, and the Boyd family’s head

matriarch was indisposed and that he would represent her. I agreed, and during preparations yesterday, my men told me the Boyd family’s head wanted to drop off a floral arrangement.

then a signal beeped in her earpiece—it was

The shipment had arrived.

check it but could not do so in front

eyes

she

He knew Vivienne was not

of the bomb had touched a nerve, and his pale excuses

increasingly anxious as his phone continued to vibrate in

the shipment had arrived, just

Why bother messaging him?

their post outside the cabin

docks, sealing off all incoming shipments and

found it—it’s Keco,” Thomas reported, handing over a bag of what seemed to be

new drug on the black market, identical to flour and often sold alongside grains

furrowed.

a glance with Leopold before

“Three tons.”

Anna gasped. “How much?”

“Three tons,” Thomas repeated.

profit

haul but had not imagined

we’ve found nothing

research base, following leads to the Ashford family’s harbor, expecting

so Leopold and Thomas had

each of his moves was

surprise, and instead of securing the experimental substance, they had stumbled

neck-deep in drug

tons of Keco was no small find, and it demanded the

took the Keco bag. “And keep this