The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

In an instant, Brody’s mind raced with countless ways to make a break for it, his feet itching to bolt.

Unfortunately for him, in Vivienne’s grasp, there was no chance of escape.

“Blowing up my lab now, huh? Living a little too comfortably these days, aren’t we?” Vivienne said, her grip firm on Brody’s shoulder, patting his head like he was a naughty puppy.

Brody glared at Vivienne and retorted, “Cut me some slack, Specter Healer! I was just experimenting!”

“You’ve got some nerve!” Vivienne raised her hand, poised to strike again.

A real man knows when to fold. Brody, raising his hands to his ears, shouted, “Okay, okay, I was wrong!”

Only then did Vivienne relax her stance.

On the sidelines, Karen chuckled. “You must be Brody, right?”

Hearing her, Brody shot Karen an impatient look, “Yes, and who might you be? Have we met…”

He took a closer look at Karen and realized something about her face seemed familiar. Suddenly, his eyes widened in recognition. “It’s you! You’re Evelyn!”

Vivienne was taken aback, not expecting Brody to know her mother.

Karen just smiled at Brody, her gaze filled with an enigmatic meaning as she stepped forward and gently placed her hand on his shoulder. “Still as impolite as ever, huh? Don’t you know how to greet your master properly?”

As she finished her words, a sharp pain shot through Brody’s shoulder, causing him to buckle under her grip.

Vivienne was even more surprised.

Since when had her mother become Brody’s master?

But Brody was wise enough to know when to give in. He wailed, “Master, I’m sorry! I was wrong!”

“You’re sorry? Stealing my research papers, running off with lab secrets, do you think a simple apology is enough?” Karen’s gaze was fierce, her grip tightening.

Brody’s body was nearly doubled over, powerless to resist, like a lamb in the grip of a lioness.

“Mom, since when did he become your disciple?” Vivienne asked with a hint of amusement.

mother and daughter! No wonder I couldn’t just beat you like that! I knew there must be a

boy’s got talent. Met him on a mission once, and with a bit of guidance, he was able to unlock some pretty deep medical mysteries. It’s just a

seemed to have a knack for things that align with

enjoying the show, with no intention of intervening on

with a gloomy expression, “Vivienne, I’ve got something to tell

Vivienne finally spoke up leisurely. “Mom, let him go. I’ve

having no real

lab looked so familiar. I couldn’t beat you because you’re mother and daughter. It’s

have remembered that before he became ‘Brody,’

She was busy

had given

she know this gifted young man would one

years later, he

I gave you

caught his breath. “Why don’t you ask your

experience in Karen’s lab, and back then, he lacked the skills

trio moved into another lab, one Brody was responsible for his potion

was smart enough to keep his potion experiments separate

with every bit of progress we make. It’s devouring the old cells and spawning new

crouched before the potion cultures, engrossed in

effects, but now it seemed that those

like a self-healing

keeps giving

discovered the potion’s healing properties and found them odd.

is GTO researching

Vivienne was deeply puzzled.

has a dual nature, saving or taking

diluted, could become life-saving

a pinch of the wrong substance, could

before them, with reactions of healing, self-healing, regeneration, and

ambition might be deeper than we imagined,” Karen mused, her brows

Vivienne shared the sentiment.

not just to develop something