The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Hearing that, Ronald chuckled—a chuckle laced with arrogance and confidence.

“Protégé? He’s not even in my league!” Ronald’s eyes danced with mockery.

Vivienne nodded in agreement. “True. Compared to you, his tactics are lacking.”

Ronald’s brow arched, the smirk on his face growing more profound. “It seems you’re quite familiar with my affairs.”

“Only bits and pieces.” Vivienne’s voice was soft, devoid of excess emotion. “A man who aims to dethrone F-Poison and become the new power behind the GTO certainly plays a different game from someone like Scott, who only knows how to obey.”

Since she had walked in, Vivienne had maintained a cool and aloof demeanor, leaving one to wonder what was really on her mind.

“So, what brings you here today? Coming to capture me?” Ronald asked with a smile, utterly composed and not showing the slightest sign of panic.

“What makes you think you can catch me? Having taken Scott’s place, I won’t make the same inept mistakes he did.”

Vivienne lifted her gaze to Ronald, her smile deepening. Then, she patted Kala on the shoulder. “Kala, we need to talk. Why don’t you head upstairs?”

“I…” Kala didn’t want to leave.

The Brooks family had seen one mishap after another, and just when things had settled, trouble found Ronald again.

She didn’t want to face it anymore! But judging by Vivienne’s demeanor, she wouldn’t leave until this issue was resolved.

Kala pressed her lips together, not uttering another word, and turned to go upstairs.

Once Kala was gone, Vivienne turned back to Ronald. She took a sip of her drink and said evenly, “I’m not here to nab you.”

Ronald paused, then raised an eyebrow. “Not here to nab me?”

a scoff. “That doesn’t sound

smiled. “What do you think

the Brooks Mansion surrounded, tight as a drum, ready to catch me and force me to reveal

hair behind her ear and said, “And if I asked,

“In fact, by now, Percival should already be leading

an eyebrow. “You are definitely

to

words casual. “But sometimes, being too smart can be

eyes narrowed slightly,

also stayed quiet, her gaze lowered. Ronald

fell into an eerie silence, broken only by the wind

have all been destroyed, I presume. Starting

stood up

surprised, stood and called after her. “You’re really not

looking back at him with icy eyes. “Ronald, being smart is good, but if you drag the entire Brooks family down as collateral for your

Ronald froze. “You!”

Judith is just that—personal. Your parents, Carl, and Kala, don’t share your hatred. Don’t impose

onto the couch, his eyes hollow. “I knew you were clever. I thought after all this time plotting and scheming, I could grasp your thoughts, but you still saw

in the center of the living room, just watching him

Judith. One caused Lauren’s grandmother’s death; the other captured Lauren for GTO’s virus experiments. I hate them, and I hate F-Poison even more. Lauren is dead, and I want them all to

drove her mad. After her death, I buried her body on a deserted hill and hired

Vivienne, he added, “You must have known I didn’t have

nor did she

Ronald, who chose not to cremate her but to take her to a deserted hill and bind her spirit with a shaman’s curse to ensure

was aware of this but