The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Dawn was barely breaking as Percival opened his eyes and reached for his phone to call Thomas.

Within minutes, Thomas arrived in his car and picked up the duo who had spent the night by the seaside.

“Where to, Percival?” Thomas did not ask why. He just did what he always did, taking care of what needed to be done.

Percival twirled a strand of Vivienne’s hair. “To the office.”

Vivienne yawned. “I’m heading back to crash.”

After dropping Vivienne off, Thomas drove to the company.

In the president’s office, someone was already waiting in silence.

Percival opened the door and greeted, “Boss.”

The man in the chair turned around, a custom-made cane in hand. “Long time, no see.”

Percival’s lips curved into a half-smile as he ushered Micah to the couch and poured him a cup of coffee. “How have you been?”

Micah did not ask much but casually chatted with Percival. “Pretty good, just eating and sleeping. I’ve been so lazy that I hardly want to get up and exercise. My legs are paying the price.”

Percival chuckled, responding briefly before asking, “Who’s Rover?”

Micah’s hand paused, a shadow flickering in his eyes, “Why do you ask?”

“Just curious,” Percival replied nonchalantly.

Micah hesitated for a moment before setting down his coffee cup, “Percival, I know you don’t trust anyone in the agency right now, but I can assure you, Rover is solid. He’s someone I deeply respect, as did your mentor Lark and Vance, too.”

Percival frowned subtly.

Such high praise from Micah meant Vance had not lied.

Rover was a deep well.

“Who is he?” Percival pressed.

dragged me off the battlefield and saved my life and my leg. But Rover is a top-secret

Vanguard Agency that even Percival could

did not push further. He would eventually

smiled, his demeanor changing in an instant. “When will you be returning to

with laughter. “What could you possibly have for me, you

the chairman of the Ellington Group.” Percival smiled, continuing their casual

chatted so freely

stood up, leaning on his cane. “Alright, I’m

said as

any further than the office door.

from now on, you’ll be fighting alone. The road

when he had joined the team—From now on, we fight together. No matter how perilous the road ahead is, I’m

of fighting side by side

time, go see Yorick Linklater. He was the one who pushed for your promotion. Now that you’re parting ways with

“Understood.”

follow him out. He stood in the office, watching

back in his chair, took out

Wolf…” Vivienne’s sleepy

“Still not up?”

treat me to

“Beef stew, lamb stew, anything you say. But before that, I

sound of rustling

Linklater family!”

sat up with

The Linklater family!

Vesper!

Linklater was just a stage name her mother had concocted on a

Evelyn or Hannah were all picked at random to make her way through

choose a surname associated with high status or power in Rivenwood.

time, she had casually uttered Vesper

knew the significance of that surname in

was not a commercial dynasty like the Ellingtons nor an

As years turned into centuries, they adopted an increasingly

stepped into the light, they captured

a mystery to the outside world, but the respect they commanded was unmatched.Books