The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Vivienne was no stranger to using her imagination. She rummaged through her bag and handed Aaron a stack of papers. “I need the final product in three days. Get it done.”

Aaron accepted the papers, and to his surprise, they contained plans for a state-of-the-art camera system made from transparent crystal material. If installed as the eyes of a bionic robot, they would be indistinguishable from human eyes!

“I assure you, the task will be completed.”

This was Aaron’s first mission since joining the Nine Mystics Society, and he could not afford to take it lightly.

He had to nail it to impress Vivienne and to prove that he, not Percival, was her most capable assistant.

“Good.” Vivienne nodded, watching Aaron’s confident demeanor.

This was his chance to prove himself, and whether he succeeded or failed, she would finally be able to flush out the traitor.

The reason she had tasked Aaron was to test him, to ensure he was not naively treating the Society like some kind of adventure game.

As Vivienne prepared to leave, Aaron opened his mouth to speak when a deep, magnetic voice called out from ahead.

“Vivienne, I’m here.”

Both Vivienne and Aaron looked up, their expressions changing. Vivienne was elated. Aaron, on the other hand, was clearly annoyed.

“Mr. Wolf! Did you bring the strawberry cheesecake?” Vivienne ran over like a schoolgirl, throwing herself into Percival’s arms, her eyes lighting up at the thought of her favorite treat.

Percival chuckled and ruffled her hair. “Don’t you want to see me instead of just eyeing the cheesecake?”

like a strawberry cheesecake made by Mr.

a kitten after cream, Vivienne could not wait to dig into the cheesecake, and the stoic Percival unwrapped it

across the playground, the two strolled

Vivienne’s profile as she savored each bite of the cheesecake, while the one he had waited half an hour in

sun’s last gleam highlighted the cake box

mocking whispers of the wind seemed to scoff at his futile effort. “How laughable, your painstaking efforts

the scene unfold,

dejectedly on the steps, methodically eating the strawberry cheesecake he had bought. The cloying sweetness made

coffee.“I heard the campus

coffee. Though he had not spent much time with Mara, their mutual friend Kenneth had introduced them, and

a campus heartthrob?” Aaron

the cake and popping it into her mouth. “You and Kenneth, man. The gaming ace and the future finance mogul, the ideal boyfriend, inheriting a

“What’s

not one for the campus gossip, I guess. I knew about it on my first day. The top-liked post on the campus network

network on her phone. “Look at all the confessions. People are saying if you guys were not a thing, they’d go after

nearly choked on his tea. “There’s nothing between

help but laugh at Aaron’s flushed face. “I know you guys are just bros, but it’s fun for us to fantasize. There are plenty who have secret crushes

the mention of secret crushes, Aaron’s

of strawberry cheesecake could cure that

through Aaron, having witnessed the

you want, I’m here to listen,” she

vent, did not care who was listening

for years. She’s been my entire youth, but she doesn’t like me back. She’s already

head low. “I don’t know how to get her to

Percival is many times more outstanding,” Mara thought silently, though