The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Outside the courthouse, Arthur hopped into his car without a second glance.

Seeing this, Shane hurried over, his voice full of panic. "Arthur, you're leaving just like that?"

Arthur waved dismissively, "Yeah, I'm off. You guys head back!"

Shane was visibly frustrated. "But how are we supposed to explain this to the boss? We were sent here on a mission!"

"What's there to explain? I've been single for nearly fifty years for the sake of the country. Do I not deserve a wife and kids for my sacrifice? Doesn't the boss owe me that much?" Arthur declared righteously.

Shane was speechless. "You've got a point, but you haven't found your true love yet. You randomly decided to hand Harrison and Gavin over to Vivienne, and now the higher-ups are going to be furious. Those two were key to wrapping this whole operation up..."

Before Shane could finish, Arthur cut him off, "Nothing is more important than finding my wife and daughter! Tell the boss I'm done. I'm off to find my wife!"

"What?"

Shane and the newly arrived Dante were stunned.

Was this even allowed?

Quitting on the spot without a formal resignation?

He was just going to leave with a few words?

Shaking off his shock, Shane quickly said, "Look, Arthur, we're all for you finding a wife, but that doesn't mean you have to quit your job!"

He hadn't heard the conversation between Arthur and Vivienne in the courtroom.

"It absolutely does! I've already managed to upset my own daughter! If I don't make it up to her by sending those two her way, who's going to take care of me when I'm old?" Arthur exploded.

"What?" Shane and Dante were utterly confused. "Daughter? Arthur, since when do you have a daughter? How come we didn't know?"

Arthur had his reasons, which Shane and Dante were privy to. They had been helping Arthur look for someone ever since he returned to the country. Yet, they hadn't found any leads, and they certainly hadn't heard anything about Arthur having a daughter.

"I just found out!" Arthur exclaimed.

Just now?" Shane was

on the uptake, suddenly asking, "You mean Vivienne is your daughter? But

be

hadn't met Karen, the brief conversation with

searching for might

girlfriend... It's

secrets. However, they had discovered that Vivienne wasn't

if Karen was the Winnie in Arthur's heart, after so many years apart, who

Dante. "Vivienne is my daughter! She's the one Winnie had for

him, but he was certain she was

had found someone else after leaving Scott, any child

Vivienne was already twenty-one.

matter how you sliced it, she was his

harbor doubts and investigate slowly. One look at Karen, and he could confirm whether she was Winnie. If she was,

with a slow investigation when he had a lead? He'd been searching slowly because he lacked any clue. Now with a clue

and Dante wanted to

gets away, are you

she needs, give it to

Dante were

Arthur been the one causing

me? Why would I reject

Shane, Dante: ...

Dante a chance to respond, Arthur instructed the driver to

lab was quiet, with fewer than

arrival, one of the researchers

was taken aback for a moment before

in the

us of your visit. Please, follow me,"

under Brody's charge, had her own set of labs here, normally off-limits to

Brody was analyzing

in one