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?”

nothing like a strawberry cheesecake made by Mr. Wolf himself. Give it

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

dying light across the playground, the

watched Vivienne’s profile as she savored each bite of the cheesecake, while the one he had waited half an hour in line to purchase sat abandoned on

highlighted the cake box

of the wind seemed to scoff at his futile effort. “How laughable,

a distance, Mara watched the scene unfold, a slow smile creeping across

had bought. The cloying

heard the campus heartthrob

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

this about a

“You and Kenneth, man. The gaming ace and

frowned. “What’s all this

my first day. The top-liked post on the campus network is about you and Kenneth playing

phone. “Look at all the confessions. People are saying if you guys were

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

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

the mention of secret

crushes were painful. No amount of strawberry cheesecake could

right through Aaron, having witnessed the scene

you want, I’m here to listen,” she offered with a warm

needing to vent, did not care who was listening

youth, but she doesn’t like

know how to get her to notice me.

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