The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Vivienne popped the cork from the porcelain vial and held it to her nose, inhaling deeply. It was not any ordinary medicine she was familiar with.

Her gaze lifted slowly, locking eyes with Finnian.

“Yes, it’s our family’s secret recipe. Only Sheldons know how to concoct it,” Finnian said, his excitement palpable.

Vivienne gave him a scrutinizing look. Knowing Finnian’s true nature, even if he did not want to have anything to do with the Edwards family, even if he wished they would just wither away, he would not ignore the plight of the innocent workers.

He would not stand by with an antidote in hand and watch them die.

Finnian seemed to anticipate her question and volunteered the information. “I once gave the formula to someone from the Edwards family, Vance’s grandfather specifically, but the old man did not take it seriously. Then, I was chased all over the place and took refuge up in the Emerald Mountains. I lost touch with the Edwards’ affairs, and it was left at that.”

Back in the day, Finnian, or Ulysses as he was known in his family, had fled from a home tragedy. During his escape, he learned that the Edwards family had acquired Mystic Vein’s mining rights.

Aware of the dangers of Mystic Vein, he passed the antidote formula to Vance’s grandfather.

But this very act revealed his whereabouts, leading to a relentless pursuit by other ancient warrior lineages.

Finnian had thought Vance’s grandfather would heed the warning. Unfortunately, it did not make any difference in the end.

For years, Finnian had been dodging assassins from the ancient warrior lineages, and it was only after faking his death that he discovered Vance’s parents had died due to the Mystic Vein’s excavation.

Only then did he realize that the Edwards family had ignored the antidote altogether.

But it was too late. He could not find Vance or save the workers any other way.

Vivienne nodded. “So, the Edwards family sealed their own fate. But Finnian, did you use your alias to strike a deal with the Edwards Group to sell those gas masks to save their miners?”

Finnian choked, incredulous that she had found out. He had carefully avoided all of Vivienne’s informants!

Wait a minute!

There was someone else.

Finnian’s eyes gradually shifted to Percival, who was slicing a cake. Feeling the sharp gaze, Percival looked up and returned a beaming smile.

Inwardly, Finnian cursed Percival.

known it was

held a significant place in the business world, so uncovering a small detail like the gas masks was

“Finnian, don’t forget you owe me 80 million dollars.

he could not keep his secret any

I pay off that debt, you can’t take over my company and still claim

hand. “Let’s start with the shares

out his phone, and

she was now the

now?” Finnian said as he sat

and even Percival, who had finished slicing the

two figures before him, but instead of a human reaction, both robots opened their mouths and, like the previous synthetic human, spat out two

a gift

until

cunning girl, always full of surprises.” He dipped his finger into the cake’s icing and popped it into his mouth, only to spit it out immediately.

the cake he had brought in

wait! You

humans back home and

“Look at this!”

not help

spunk,” Vesper said

me against

the cheek of ‘Vivienne’.

his company

happened?” Finnian asked,

brow furrowed. “Your apprentice has tricked you. These synthetic

hurriedly

the real Vivienne was sitting in her

not quite as good as Mr.

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