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.

ship,” she stated, her legs shifting position as she lounged back on the sofa, lazily

aside your presence on the ship, my daughter and I were there, too. I would never risk our lives by planting a bomb. This has nothing to do

murmured absentmindedly, frowning

to rise, “Could this be connected to

looked at him. “You know

find it odd. After the engagement party fiasco, I cut all ties with the Boyd family. But for the sake of the bionic tech, I could not completely sever our relationship. I thought of sending an invite, and the Boyd family’s head came to

their 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. I did not question it, but

then a signal beeped in her earpiece—it

The shipment had arrived.

Patrick’s phone buzzed with a message. He wanted to check it but could not do so

eyes closing. “Let

that, she went

dared not to move. He knew Vivienne was

and his pale excuses and baseless suspicions held

phone continued to vibrate in

had arrived, just

Why bother messaging him?

Anna had left their post outside the cabin and were now at the Sea

had secured the docks, sealing off

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

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

furrowed.

with Leopold before

“Three tons.”

Anna gasped. “How much?”

“Three tons,” Thomas repeated.

profit

a significant haul but had not imagined it would be this

than Keco, we’ve found

virus research base, following leads to the Ashford family’s harbor, expecting a shipment for

breach the base, so Leopold and Thomas had been

each of his moves was a potential key to

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

people, was neck-deep in drug

substance was a dead end by now. Three tons of Keco was no small find, and it demanded the intervention of the local

DEA officers,” Percival instructed as he took the Keco bag. “And keep this under wraps; we