The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

On the other side of town, Vivienne sat contentedly in the car, having just polished off a luscious strawberry cheesecake that Percival had brought her.

With a full belly, she finally remembered the matter at hand.

“So, you mentioned you had a crucial video conference tonight. What’s got you swinging by all of a sudden?” Vivienne leaned in, eyeing Percival curiously.

Percival, driving with his usual cool demeanor, cleared his throat. “That conference is nothing compared to you.”

“I never told you where I was heading today,” Vivienne said with a teasing smile, though Percival felt a chill run down his spine at her grin.

Exhaling softly, Percival eased the car to a stop in front of a bustling steakhouse, turned to Vivienne, and said, “I got a call from Kenneth about you being at Elite University, so I thought I’d check on you.”

Vivienne rubbed her temples, somewhat exasperated. “Aaron’s just a kid. Why are you always so concerned with him?”

Percival parked the car and looked at her, “I simply can’t stand any man coveting you, even if that man is just a boy.”

Vivienne gazed at Percival. She had always heard that a man in jealousy was at his most handsome, but she had not expected it to be this striking! Could it be that because the man was Percival, he appeared so irresistibly dashing?

He was so handsome, and she loved it!

Percival playfully tapped Vivienne’s nose. “Let’s go have your favorite beef stew.”

Vivienne wrapped her arms around his neck and planted a firm kiss on his lips before cheerily hopping out of the car.

The kiss left Percival breathless, wishing for another.

Vivienne thought to herself, “Opportunities like this don’t come often!”

As they sat down to the bubbling hot pot, Vivienne devoured the meal with gusto.

“Mr. Wolf, I’ll be heading to Mara’s place tomorrow to treat her injury. Wait for my signal,” she said, gobbling down a piece of tripe.

Percival, ever so composed, wiped a bit of sauce from the corner of her mouth and said, “Understood.”

Vivienne’s lips curled into a sly smile; she was eager to see what was really going on.

on Mara’s apartment door,

are you doing here?”

here to fix

“Vivienne? Come in. I’m just in

rose inquisitively.

it’s not what

not for the scar on her face, she

breakfast, so I went to rinse

brushed past Aaron and made her way straight to Mara. “Did you touch

validated in her suspicion that there was something between Vivienne and Aaron,

to Vivienne, “No, I’ve been careful, just like you

start here or in

uneasy. Every time Vivienne was upset in his

Thanks for your help,” Mara said sweetly, adjusting her towel before giving Aaron a

avoiding Vivienne’s

sent a wave of frost through Vivienne’s

kit and headed to Mara’s

was stopped by Mara, “I’m about to change in the bedroom. Where do

red. “I…

laughed softly. “I’ll go

bedroom, Mara changed and sat on the bed. “Vivienne, are

glanced at her, then looked away. “Why

close. I didn’t want

her gaze, a faint smile playing on

thought Mara was simply naive, but she

Vivienne asked, “Did you drink a pot of green

Mara blinked in confusion.

a microchip into Mara’s scar. “Trying to light up the whole forest with your green

you talking about? What forest?”

into Mara’s scar, Mara screamed in pain. “What

things. “Beauty

agony, feeling as if her face was being forcibly molded back together, a tormenting blend of pain and itchiness as

face? I agreed to let

and casually played a game of Tetris on her