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?”

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

time, their influence has grown massive, almost monopolizing power, to the point where even the Perez and Martinez

Vance’s motives were not merely vengeful. “You want to restore peace to

quietly, unsure where he was headed with

happened with Noah, did anything strike you

a mole in the Vanguard Agency for

manage to stay under the radar in the Agency for six decades without anyone catching

others on that

tell the difference between ten

help, even with GTO cutting off its own tentacles to let Noah gain merit, his stay would not have been

that even Yorick never suspected his partner

ancient warrior lineage to seize power all these years without any of their kin by his side. Why

It dawned on Vance.

ancient warrior lineages must have

was GTO’s mole, could it mean that someone within

chilling, and Vance could not help but break out in

Vance another cup of coffee. “My mentor faked his own death because he was being hunted, and those hunters

When I first tried to locate the Emerald Monastery, I sensed someone was after me, too. We never

Ulysses had not perished when his family was

been investigating discreetly, using his position within the Vanguard Agency

of the Emerald Monastery, he would discover that someone was after Finnian’s life. Knowing

his dismay, by the time he returned, Finnian had succumbed to illness, leaving behind

from then on, no word came

Vance now understood that the demise of the Sheldon family was inextricably linked to

was not truly dead; surely those of the

to be from the

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

you want me to

again, “Vance, your wish to have the ancient warrior lineage leave the Vanguard Agency is clearly unrealistic. The Agency’s ranks are thoroughly intertwined with the lineage. The Martinez family’s arsenal and the Perez family’s wealth – are just the basics. If we truly ousted