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.

should have known it

place in the business world, so

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

sly grin, Finnian knew he could not keep his

pay you back, okay? But let’s be clear: once I pay off that debt, you can’t take over my company

hand. “Let’s start with the shares of

pulled out his phone, and stepped outside to make a

that she was now the owner of

my IOU now?” Finnian

Percival,

instead of a human reaction, both robots

a gift

wait until

girl, always full of surprises.” He dipped his finger into the cake’s icing and popped it into his mouth,

realized that it was not the cake

just wait! You little

two synthetic humans back home and dumped them in front of

“Look at this!”

not help but smile at the sight of

got spunk,” Vesper

sighed. “So, it’s just me against the world

chuckled, pinching the cheek of ‘Vivienne’. But

still mourning the loss of his company when he saw Vesper swiftly erasing his

happened?” Finnian asked,

tricked you. These synthetic humans, they’re bugged with

that, Vesper hurriedly

the meantime, the real Vivienne was sitting in her car, savoring

quite as good as Mr. Wolf’s, but

cake was the best thing in the world.Books Chapters