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?”

scoff. “That doesn’t

do you think my style

Ronald ventured, “would typically have the Brooks Mansion surrounded, tight as a drum, ready to

hair behind her ear and said, “And if

moment’s hesitation. “In fact, by now, Percival should already be leading a team to

an eyebrow. “You are

tend to agree!” Ronald

laughed lightly, leaning back on the couch, her words casual. “But sometimes, being too

slightly, but

her gaze lowered. Ronald could

wind rattling the windows from outside. Neither spoke

androids have all been destroyed, I presume. Starting tomorrow, I don’t

up and walked towards the

stood and called after her.

“Ronald, being smart is good, but if you drag the entire Brooks family down as collateral

Ronald froze. “You!”

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

collapsed back 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

stood in the center of the living room,

Lauren’s grandmother’s death; the other captured Lauren for GTO’s virus experiments. I hate

day you came for Judith, I stealthily gave her a drug that drove her mad. After her death, I buried her

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

speak, nor did

death, Scott had left the funeral arrangements to 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

this but