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. Wolf himself. Give

to dig into the cheesecake, and the stoic Percival unwrapped it for her to enjoy

sun cast its dying light across the playground, the two strolled

bite of the cheesecake, while the one he had waited half an hour in line to purchase

the cake box before fading away,

whispers of the wind seemed to scoff at his futile effort. “How laughable, your painstaking efforts couldn’t outshine a

watched the scene unfold, a slow smile

cheesecake he had bought. The cloying sweetness made him feel

of iced coffee.“I heard the campus heartthrob was moping here, so I came to

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

a campus heartthrob?” Aaron

mouth. “You and Kenneth, man. The gaming ace and the future finance mogul, the ideal boyfriend, inheriting a fortune. You guys are always together, and people are shipping you

frowned. “What’s all this

it on my first day. The top-liked post on

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

on his tea. “There’s nothing between us. If anything, he’s my rival. Always

you guys are just bros, but it’s fun for us to fantasize.

of secret crushes,

strawberry cheesecake could cure that

having witnessed

on your mind? If you want, I’m here to

to vent, did not

entire youth, but she doesn’t like me back. She’s already

hung his head low. “I don’t know how to get her to notice me. It feels like she’s slipping

was never yours to begin with! You’re outstanding, but Percival is many times more outstanding,” Mara