The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Vivienne mulled it over for a second, then said, “Well, it’s not exactly like that. My mentor was the kind who’d perk up at the sight of a dollar bill, and now, I’m all about the cash, too. So, I need you to ink a new deal, Vance. You know my Mr. Wolf’s unemployed at the moment, and I’ve got a household to run.”

With that, she whipped out a fresh contract and laid it before Vance, the figures in it a whopping fifty percent higher than the previous one.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Vance scribbled his signature on the dotted line.

Money was no object when it came to this lifesaving contract.

After closing the contract, Vance’s expression regained its composure. “So, is this the reason Jasper called me over today?”

Jasper shook his head. “Of course not. This is a matter my granddaughter brought to you. As for me, I’ve got another issue to discuss.”

Vance straightened up. “What’s on your mind?”

“The ancient warrior lineage.”

Vance’s eyes flickered with disbelief.

Jasper himself hailed from the ancient warrior lineage, and the Perez family held a lofty position within the Vanguard Agency. It was surprising he would broach the topic with Vance, knowing full well that Vance had always wanted to kick the ancient warrior lineage out of the Agency.

“Surprised, huh?” Jasper chuckled. “I know you’ve got a bone to pick with the ancient warrior lineage, feeling that us old-timers are flexing our family muscles, stifling your special squad’s operations, and botching many a mission.”

Vance frowned, his gaze drifting over to Percival and Vivienne.

Great, those two were at it again, playing house.

One sipping coffee, the other pouring – living the life of Riley.

Vance had to drag his attention back. “Jasper, just lay your cards on the table.”

At that moment, Percival handed Vance a freshly brewed cup of coffee. “Vance, Jasper here wants a slice of our partnership pie. What do you say?”

deal with Mr. Percy is to boot the ancient warrior lineage out of

desk, speaking slowly. “I get why you want to push them out. Over time, their influence has

not merely vengeful. “You want to restore

Jasper quietly, unsure where he was headed

after what happened with Noah,

a mole in the Vanguard Agency for nearly sixty years, that…” Vance

for six decades without anyone catching on?

the others on that

they not tell the difference between ten or

the Vanguard Agency was a fool. Without inside help, even with GTO cutting off its own tentacles to

that even Yorick never suspected his partner

seize power all these years without any

It dawned on Vance.

lineages must have been pulling

Noah was GTO’s mole, could it mean that

and Vance could not help but break out in a cold

faked his own death because he was being hunted, and those

first tried to locate the Emerald Monastery, I sensed someone was after me, too. We never identified who, but they

when his family was wiped out but had

Vance had been investigating discreetly, using his position

that when he finally tracked down the location of the Emerald Monastery, he would discover that someone was after

the time he returned, Finnian had succumbed

from then on, no word came from

the demise of the Sheldon family was inextricably linked to

that Ulysses was not truly dead; surely those of the ancient lineage were even

to be from the ancient

all from the ancient warrior lineage, then the mysterious people aiding Noah might

me to do?” Vance

thoroughly intertwined with the lineage. The Martinez family’s arsenal and the Perez family’s wealth – are just the basics. If we truly ousted the lineage, the entire Vanguard Agency would be