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.

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

ship, my daughter and I were there, too. I would never risk our

Vivienne murmured absentmindedly, frowning

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

sharpened as she looked at him.

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

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 it’s suspicious now that I think about it. I had always dealt with Eliza, not the

then a signal beeped in

The shipment had arrived.

to check it but could not do so in front

eyes closing. “Let me

that, she

He knew Vivienne was

and

his phone continued

the shipment had arrived, just

Why bother messaging him?

their post outside the cabin and were

Thomas had secured the docks, sealing

we found it—it’s Keco,” Thomas reported, handing over a bag

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

brow furrowed. “How

Leopold before revealing an astonishing

“Three tons.”

Anna gasped. “How much?”

“Three tons,” Thomas repeated.

profit enough

but had not imagined it

than Keco, we’ve found nothing else,”

City to uncover GTO’s virus research base, following leads to

so Leopold and

eyes on Patrick’s movements from the ship’s cabin; each of

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

all people, was neck-deep in drug trafficking,

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

and coordinate with the DEA officers,” Percival instructed as he took the Keco bag. “And keep this under