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.

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

I had no idea about this. Even if we set 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

murmured absentmindedly, frowning

in relief and began to rise, “Could

gaze sharpened as she looked at

just 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,

wanted to drop off a floral arrangement. I did not question it, but it’s suspicious

then a signal beeped in her earpiece—it was

The shipment had arrived.

Patrick’s phone buzzed with a message. He wanted to check it

her eyes

that, she went

move. He knew Vivienne was not

a nerve, and his pale excuses

grew increasingly anxious as his phone continued to vibrate in his

shipment had arrived,

Why bother messaging him?

had left their post outside the cabin

Thomas had secured the docks, sealing off all

Thomas reported, handing over a bag of

black market, identical to flour and often sold alongside

brow furrowed. “How

with Leopold before

“Three tons.”

Anna gasped. “How much?”

“Three tons,” Thomas repeated.

could profit enough to

significant haul but had not imagined it would be this

other than Keco, we’ve found nothing

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

breach the base, so Leopold and Thomas had been

eyes on Patrick’s movements from the ship’s cabin; each of his moves was a potential key to unraveling the web of intrigue

the experimental substance, they had stumbled upon a whopping three

all people, was neck-deep in drug trafficking,

Keco was no small find, and it demanded the intervention of the local Drug Enforcement

and coordinate with the DEA officers,” Percival instructed as he took the Keco bag. “And keep this under wraps; we don’t need the HQ swooping