The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Vivienne didn’t respond. The enigma of F-Poison still perplexed her heart. He was the first mystery she’d pursued for so long without any leads.

The same was true for Karen, of course.

“It seems the answer to the secret still lies in the potion,” Karen said, gently tousling Vivienne’s hair and pinching her cheek. “Come on, let’s head to the lab.”

Vivienne rolled over on Karen. “Mom, can we grab a bite before we go?”

“Why is it always about food with you?”

“Mr. Wolf always takes me for a treat before we head out. If you don’t, I’m not going anywhere!”

Karen’s lips curved into a slight smile as she pulled out her phone and dialed Percival. “Your Vivienne is craving something delicious. Can you drop it off at YQ Research Center?”

Percival was in the middle of a meeting, but upon hearing the request, he immediately wrapped it up.

Nothing was more important than Vivienne wanting a delectable treat!

Watching her mother’s cunning face, Vivienne grumbled, “I got all my sneakiness from you!”

“Well, you’re my girl, aren’t you? Let’s get moving!”

There was no helping it; the only person who could truly handle Vivienne was Karen.

At the YQ Research Center, Percival arrived with a Japanese meal and decided to wait around.

Brody passed by Percival multiple times, rolling his eyes at each encounter.

Finally, Percival caught him. “Ever know what it’s like to have an eyeball gouged out?”

Brody shivered but retorted, “You heartbreaker. Do you know what it feels like to be castrated?”

Percival was baffled; had he broken Brody’s heart or what?

Realization dawned upon Brody from Percival’s expression, “Not me! That pig!”

Percival was even more confused now. Which pig was he talking about?

rolled his eyes and dragged Percival into

room with a person sitting in it,

this person

to keep her

remembered her name, Calista

also arrived, each

starting

my fault. I just

what kind of experiments Brody had

you be finding me a new test subject by now? Although your medicine has been effective, and she is indeed slowly regenerating her organs, the human body’s endurance

for another candidate. Someone with a death wish, perhaps, and send them

“Yes, yes, please hurry. But please, no more of your love rivals; I don’t want to be

the next piece of salmon into

thought to himself:

innocent man in this world! Except for me,

meant for him disappeared, the thought of turning Brody into a test

observing Calista’s failing organs, then suddenly had an

bring the ST-1 and inject

others were stunned, but

with it, which has wasted

however, ignored him, picking up ST-1 and preparing to

about this,

him back by the collar as if he were a little puppy. “ST-1 is her discovery.

Brody. “Alright, alright, do as you

these two women were

significant reputation in the underworld, a name that resonated far

because of the Specter

to say

the time to pay attention to Brody’s internal cries. They injected Calista, who

monitoring devices, tracking the condition of her

agonizing pain, writhing on the floor, screaming incoherently,

Calista finally stabilized. She sat on the floor, gasping for

of recovery, their functionality slowly returning to normal levels.

miraculously begun to repair Calista’s failing and nearly dead

incredulous at the

intervention has its limits, and once those are exceeded, the very drugs that once sustained life can