The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

At the headquarters of Rivenwood Vanguard Agency.

Percival nudged open the door to the director’s office. “You wanted to see me, Vance?”

Vance gestured towards the chair across from his desk. “Take a seat, Percival.”

Percival squinted slightly before complying, settling into the chair facing Vance.

“What’s Vivienne been up to lately?” Vance casually flipped through the documents on his desk as he inquired.

Percival lifted his gaze, his tone airy. “Vance, should I be concerned that you’re taking an interest in my fiancée?”

Vance shot him a look, chuckling. “No need for that. My romance is quite blissful.”

The joke did little to amuse Percival, who mainly remained expressionless.

Vance snapped the folder shut and looked up. “Can you ask Vivienne to swing by HQ? I’ve got a rather pressing matter, and I’d like to discuss a potential partnership with her.”

Percival’s eyes flickered. “What kind of partnership?”

Vance’s smile persisted, “That’s something I don’t think I need to share with you.”

His stance was clear: even though Percival was Vivienne’s betrothed, Vance preferred to approach her directly with this matter.

Percival’s lips curled into a slight smile. “Alright then.”

With that, Percival stood and left.

Vance watched him go, the smile slowly fading from his face.

Back in his own office, Percival dialed Vivienne.

“Vivienne, he’s looking to collaborate. Didn’t say on what.”

Vivienne’s laughter filtered through, “Vance loves his mysteries, but what’s the point? It’ll come out eventually.”

Percival’s smile broadened. “This seems different from the last time. Want to come over?”

“Sure, I’m on my way. I’ve got a few questions for him myself, like where on earth he’s sent Leopold.”

I’ll pick you

roar of a motorbike came through the phone,

Came to pick

as he stepped out to

Vanguard

into the

the deputy director smile is like seeing

Anna glanced up quietly

like this for one reason. These colleagues

looks, Percival took Vivienne’s hand,

in,” Vance called out upon hearing

Percival return so soon with Vivienne in

too modest, Percival,” Vance said with a smile, standing to usher them

from Vance, her smile enigmatic. “When Mr. Edwards summons, I make

me Uncle,” Vance

must have something complex in mind for such

her persistent formality, “Yes,

behind the famous Frostfire Intelligence

director of

right. Whatever you need to know, Mr. Edwards,

out a laugh. “I need to dig into a cold case. Name

was stunned for a moment. A

and smiled. “A case

to a locked cabinet, retrieving an old, worn

into everything. And this

lineage caused a flicker in

file, and the title alone weighed

The Sheldon

her mentor’s

scanned the scarce information, which listed members of the Sheldon family

in red, was a single name: Ulysses, age

Beyond that, nothing.

was Finnian,

are you asking about Ulysses in particular?” Vivienne set the file down, her

as ever. Indeed, it’s

the couch, her gaze growing heavy and skeptical. “Someone who’s been missing for seventy years might as