The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Dracon finally turned his attention to Gillian.

Three days prior, Gillian had come on behalf of Vanguard Agency to check on Yorick and had met Dracon for the first time.

As they chatted casually, they touched upon Percival and the Perez family’s current situation. It was only then that Dracon realized that Gillian had a bone to pick with Vivienne. Upon further conversation, it became clear that their mutual grievances ran as deep as any of his own.

Their shared desire to deal with Vivienne made them natural allies.

Dracon took a deep breath, “Alright, spill it. How do you want me to work with you? Just as long as it doesn’t harm the Linklater family’s interests.”

Dracon was not a fool; while the other kids in the family did not need to lean on the Linklater family for anything, he had to stand firm with them. Without the family’s support, he would be lost.

If avenging Diana meant harming the Linklater family, it was not worth it.

Gillian curved her lips into a sly smile. “I want to get into the Rivenwood headquarters of the Vanguard Agency.”

“You’re leaving the comfort of Sea City for Rivenwood? That place is crawling with Percival’s cronies!” Dracon exclaimed in surprise.

Gillian’s smile deepened, a hint of ferocity flashing across her face, “Of course I know. It’s all Percival’s people there, but how else am I supposed to get close to him?”

Dracon looked Gillian up and down. She was attractive enough, with a nice figure to boot.

But compared to Vivienne, she did not hold a candle. Given the choice between the two, he reckoned no man would pick Gillian over Vivienne. Of course, he would not dare say that to Gillian’s face.

“Fine, I’ll get you into the Rivenwood General Administration.”

…

In the back garden.

Yorick led Karen and Vivienne to an herb garden.

Karen had been here before, but it was a first for Vivienne.

to take them. I’ve got plenty to

making her way through the

seen one

no time to tend to it, leaving it in the hands of those unreliable junior disciples, and

then, Vivienne had no time to cultivate these plants; her interests were far too wide-ranging, and the garden

family to have such a hidden

the familiar herb

a sigh of

back from her reverie, her lips pressing together before she

Micah

was highly regarded at the Vanguard Agency, and

Vance, who was too stubborn to see anything but

me,” Karen

to see the scoundrel who stole away our belle, fathered a child, and then

do if

to the interrogation room to get some answers about where he’s been all these years. I’m gonna skin him alive for

“Alright, I’ll remember that promise. When I bring him around someday, you’ll

to talk about it, so he didn’t press

so level-headed, and it’s a good thing too. Otherwise, after the ‘Destruction Plan’ went south, we would’ve

not just for Karen and Micah but also for Yorick, who

“You taught me well.”

favorite agent would turn out to be his daughter?

only one in my heart, and I’ve

my no-good eldest son’s loss then. I thought I could play matchmaker between

Mr. Dracon Linklater, he

for a few seconds before saying, “Dracon, indeed, doesn’t have much ambition. He just wants to stay by my side. As for the one who’s most like me, that would be our eldest. I’ll

where is

stood and walked towards Vivienne. “He’s

tell the location of

cradled the delicate item in her hands. “That, my dear, is a godsend for those restless nights. I myself have been lulled into many a peaceful slumber by it over the

one to cultivate—a real rarity. I plan to brew some tea with it tonight for