The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Indeed, no sooner had Percival finished speaking than he received a confidential message from the higher-ups.

He was ordered to return to Rivenwood immediately to take control of the situation at Rivenwood headquarters.

Stretching languidly, Vivienne remarked, “Looks like it’s time to wrap this up.”

That evening, Mara sat anxiously in the living room of the Ashford Mansion.

“Gillian, I’m still worried. What did Percival mean? I didn’t say anything, and he said he’d bring what you want. This…”

Gillian handed Mara a cup of steaming cola. “Oh, don’t fret, sweetheart. If your brother said so, we just wait. Dad mentioned that as long as the contract and the Boyd family signet ring are brought over, you can inherit the Boyd family. Trust me.”

To Gillian, neither the contract nor the Boyd family signet ring mattered much; she could not understand why Patrick was so hung up on them.

Earlier tonight, she had merely phoned Patrick to inform him that Mara had brought the items without getting into details.

Before long, Percival arrived at the Ashford Mansion with Vivienne, knocking on the door.

Gillian quickly primped her hair and went to answer the door, brimming with excitement. To her absolute surprise, the door opened to a squad of armed individuals who stormed in and surrounded the Ashford Mansion.

Staring at Percival in disbelief, Gillian asked, “Mr. Ellington, what is this?”

“Patrick is suspected of drug trafficking. We’re here to search the premises.” Percival produced a search warrant, flicking it so that agents from Vanguard Agency began scouring the Ashford Mansion.

“You must be mistaken; my father has been framed…” Gillian stepped back, only to see someone retrieve a plaster doll from her room.

It was a gift from Patrick for her eighteenth birthday.

With a crack, the doll shattered, spilling its contents on the floor: a bag of Keco!

Vivienne approached, opened the bag, and took a sniff. “This is the original Keco we’ve been searching for, identical to the batch seized at the docks.”

doors closing came from outside,

in person, suspect

face contorted in horror at the sight of the plaster doll fragments on the

don’t know

Mr. Keco?” Vivienne dangled the bag of Keco, shaking it with a smirk. “How did my mom ever overlook your talent?

flicker of guilt

name within the

fallen to his knees, realizing his

did

the past decade, essentially acting as their

Scott and Belle, who were relentlessly searching for Karen’s legacy potion, Patrick

drug production and trafficking, providing GTO

the years, he had become bolder in his illicit

“What’s done in the

Vivienne had not focused on Patrick, but his ambition to absorb the Boyd family’s mysterious business network was too

to outsiders, yet Patrick schemed to overtake the Boyds and unearth that contract,

Percival and Vivienne continued their investigation. Tracing Keco led them to the factory where it was produced –

claimed to be advancing bionic tech, but in truth, it was a front for drug production,

also arrived

kingpins,” Leopold slapped Patrick on the head, “Damn, thought I’d have a big bust, but the DEA

was just a

another dead end, though

in Sea City was known to the local division, and GTO’s virus research base

to escort Patrick out and seal off the Ashford

and Mara watched the entire ordeal, too stunned

drug trafficking? Who were Percival and Vivienne, and how could

on earth

understand how everything had changed overnight;

Mansion, he and Vivienne left without a second glance at the heiress