The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Everyone gathered around Jasper, but he reached for Vivienne with a steady hand.

“Vivienne, you okay there?”

Vivienne shifted her gaze from Vesper and replied softly, “Yeah, a bit shaken up.”

Jasper hummed in response, gently patting Vivienne’s hand. “I’m gonna be fine. Gotta take you back home to watch Natalia and Yasmine grow up and wait for Sasha to return. I won’t break my promise.”

Then, spotting Percival, he added with a smile, “And to see our Vivienne get married and have kids, right?”

Vivienne blushed slightly. “How about I check in on you every month, say on the ninth?”

Although Vivienne still had questions about what was really going on inside Jasper, she knew now was not the time to ask. He was weak and did not need the stress of an interrogation.

“Sounds good to me,” Jasper chuckled, his eyes catching Vesper standing a little ways off. The more he looked, the more he liked the young man. “Young sir, you do resemble my boys strikingly.”

Vesper looked up, a complicated expression in his eyes, but he managed a small smile. “Really? Then I suppose I’m quite the looker.”

Jasper laughed heartily. “You sure are, lad, a spitting image of my younger self.”

Yuri teased, “Dad, fishing for compliments now?”

“I’ve always been handsome.” Jasper stood up, still holding Vivienne’s hand. “Vivienne’s kids are gonna be stunners, no doubt.”

“Dad, how many kids do you want Vivienne to have?” Zelda asked.

Jasper thought momentarily, then said, “Hey, Percival, how many do you want?”

Caught off-guard by the sudden question, Percival cleared his throat and said, “That’s up to Vivienne.”

“You just stay out of the fray and take care of yourself. Can’t have any repeats of last time,” Jasper advised more seriously.

Percival nodded in agreement, feeling no discomfort.

Vivienne turned to Vesper. “How many kids do you have at the Linklater family??”

with a chuckle. “Mr. Ellington, you’re going to have your hands full. Better take care of yourself, especially with four sons and three daughters in the

arm around Vivienne’s waist

pinched Percival’s side

he even

Seven kids?

they would have enough

The more, the merrier. It’s a handful for a father,

noticed that Vesper had silently disappeared from the

only

to go after them, but Percival stopped her.

nodding. “Mr. Linklater’s skills

present were vigilant and trained. How could two grown men disappear without notice? The only explanation was

a premonition that she would see Vesper again, but it would be a long time

mobilize the Nine Mystics Society and the Frostfire Intelligence Agency to find

his illness, Jasper soon fell asleep, and Vivienne and Percival left

entered the house and felt a gust of wind by his ear. The next second, a disposable fork with

note. It read: [Watch those around

no one, not even the bodyguards, had

not have known about the silent intruder if

be a warning, not a threat. But who could it be from? The same person

stir. He did not

around the house and to keep a close eye on

…

Perez Mansion, at a

over his plate. “Missed a good meal back there. Heard helpers at the

saying, “This isn’t half bad, either.

Finnian complained, burning

his soup. “The waters run deep in the Perez

need to say much. With just one phrase,

her mind racing through every detail of the

not add

the two pairs of shoes Vesper brought or his

Vivienne sat up straight. “Mr. Wolf, we never mentioned where Grandpa’s bedroom was when Vesper and Finnian arrived, did we?”Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay