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.

Mara’s apartment

you doing here?” She frowned

to fix the computer

Mara called out, “Vivienne? Come in. I’m just

brows rose inquisitively. A shower

scarlet. “Vivienne, it’s not

towel. If not for the scar on her face, she

milk during breakfast, so I went to rinse off. Please don’t misunderstand,” Mara explained with

and made her way straight to Mara. “Did you touch your

her suspicion that there was something between Vivienne and

at Aaron and then turned to Vivienne, “No, I’ve been careful,

or in the bedroom?” Vivienne asked,

in temperature and grew uneasy. Every time Vivienne was

your help,” Mara said sweetly, adjusting her towel before

nodded awkwardly, avoiding Vivienne’s penetrating

Mara address Aaron so familiarly sent a wave of frost

kit and headed to

about to change in

ears turned red.

laughed softly.

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

then looked away. “Why

thought you and Aaron were close. I

smile playing on her lips.

naive, but she had underestimated

Vivienne asked, “Did you drink a

Mara blinked in confusion.

Mara’s scar. “Trying to light

about? What

needles into Mara’s scar, Mara screamed in

things. “Beauty comes

feeling as if her face was being forcibly molded back together, a

agreed to let you experiment,

back, waiting for Mara’s reaction, and casually played a game of Tetris on her