The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

The man's face turned a bright shade of crimson as the slap landed, swelling almost immediately. He took a step back, too afraid to utter a word, though his mind raced with thoughts of protest. He'd roughed up Vivienne more than once recently, but wasn't that all at her command? Yet, he dared not voice this question.

The woman fixed her gaze on the wine glass in her hand, her voice raspy, "She's my trump card!"

He wanted to ask, but then the woman in red turned sharply, her voice cold, "Tell Samantha she has one more month. If she doesn't crack the secret to the elixir of life, she can consider herself dead!" The man was at a loss. He couldn't fathom why Abigail would invest so much in Samantha's research instead of simply taking what Vivienne already had. But he held his tongue and simply nodded before walking away. At the door, something struck him, and he turned back, "What about Harrison?"

"Don't worry about him. His schemes have already come to light. Vivienne is using him to force my hand."

With nothing more to say, the man left. After his departure, the woman moved to the window, her thoughts as distant as the horizon.

At Rivenwood, Asher's mansion, Asher sat in his study, a mix of calm and storm in his demeanor. Across from him, Gavin's normally composed face was etched with concern. The middle-aged man tapped the desk rhythmically, breaking the silence, "Gavin, if only you had foreseen this. Why did you insist on making life difficult for Kaitlyn and her crew?"

Gavin's brows furrowed, "Asher, you were the one who ordered us to ensure Kaitlyn and Vivienne suffered. And now you're washing your hands of it?"

only righteousness, "I wanted you to put pressure on Kaitlyn and Vivienne, not to bungle things up. Now, with Vivienne

cost Asher his status, and though the immediate danger had passed, his frustration lingered. Noticing Gavin's discontent yet silent

think we can just let Kipling take the fall? He knows too much. If he ends up in prison, it

that we thrive under the Grimshaw family's protection? Nothing silences a man more effectively

"You can't mean to kill Kipling!

remained cool as ever, "You're overthinking it. Your son-in-law's brother is a police chief, isn't he? Let him handle

can frame him for Kipling's

but be swayed by Asher's plan. "Alright, Asher. I'll make the call to

Despite his outward compliance,

was plotting,

rather dark task. He needed someone gone -Kipling, to be precise. And not just gone, but without

in the