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.

groans, Brody gasped in surprise, “Mom? You two are mother and daughter! No wonder I couldn’t just beat you like that! I

a mission once, and with a bit of guidance, he was able to unlock some pretty deep medical mysteries. It’s

seemed to have a knack for things that align with my

the show, with no

a gloomy expression, “Vivienne, I’ve got something to tell you. Can you—can your mom…

leisurely. “Mom, let him

having no real intention of harming

this lab looked so familiar. I couldn’t

remembered that before he became ‘Brody,’ he had interned in a

the name of Evelyn. She was busy with her own lab while leading a

talent, she had given him

did she know this gifted young man would one day steal her lab secrets

imagined that, years later, he would

gave you coming along?”

caught his breath. “Why don’t you ask your mom? Wasn’t this what she was researching

stemmed from his experience in Karen’s lab, and back then, he lacked

another lab, one Brody was responsible

to keep his potion experiments separate to

it seems this thing has a mind of its own. It keeps changing direction with every bit

potion cultures, engrossed in the

it seemed that those effects were merely a

was like a self-healing

frowned. “This thing keeps giving me surprises every

found them odd. But now, this reaction

virus is GTO researching that could cause

Vivienne was deeply puzzled.

or remedy in the world has a dual nature, saving or taking lives at

diluted, could become

medicines, with just a pinch of the wrong substance, could

like the potion before them, with reactions of healing, self-healing,

be deeper than we imagined,” Karen mused,

Vivienne shared the sentiment.

was not just to develop something akin to