The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Vivienne's mind raced to one name the moment the trouble started.

Abigail.

It seemed they couldn't hide their true colors any longer.

Percival seemed to have reached the same conclusion. Stepping forward, he took Vivienne's hand, "They've tipped their hand too early. Just a nudge from us and they'll reveal themselves completely." Vivienne's eyes narrowed.

She wasn't sure of many things.

But one thing she was certain of was that those bold enough to cross her were in for a rough ride.

Draven arrived with his team to report to Vivienne, "Boss, we lost their trail midway through the south side of town, but we managed to intercept some of their cargo, now stored in..."

"How many are injured?"

Draven paused, then lowered his gaze, "Nothing serious, just minor injuries."

Vivienne stepped forward, grabbed Draven's wrist to check for himself, and frowned, "Injured near the heart and you call this minor?"

After her inspection, she pulled out a half-bottle of the Life-saving Elixir from her pocket, "Distribute this, and don't say I don't take care of my team."

Draven stood frozen, holding the half-bottle of Life-saving Elixir.

As Vivienne and Percival walked further in, Leopold came over and patted Draven on the shoulder, "Man, you should count your blessings. Do you have any idea how precious Vivienne's Life-saving Elixir is? She gave you half a bottle. Even my mentors haven't received such generosity.

"Leopold, are you coming or not?"

Vivienne's voice echoed from ahead, and Leopold instantly switched gears, "Ah, yeah, coming, coming... Wait up, Vivienne..."

In the room, a hole revealed a hidden painting, beneath which was a secret lab.

What it was used for, only a personal inspection would reveal.

Draven handed Vivienne a gas mask, his face no longer pale, "Boss, we're not sure if these documents were left as a decoy. It might be risky, better wear this." Vivienne took it and put it on.

Abigail had managed to stay under the radar for so long, her planning was undoubtedly meticulous.

These items might not hold significant value.

But for Vivienne, it could be a crucial clue to unraveling Abigail's secrets.

a gas mask, "Bring two more, I'm going

sank, "You don't mean

a look, "Are

cry: With everyone going down,

they talked, Vivienne had already jumped

but below lay a substantial laboratory. All equipment that couldn't be moved in time was destroyed,

"The Elixir of Immortality."

up,

"You gotta be kidding me. After all this, that witch is still on about finding the elixir of immortality? From heart-stealing to

could only picture Abigail as a monstrous entity,

a person didn't

her a witch was

why would someone researching immortality need living

not be for the immortality research, but

Vivienne thought the same.

ST-1 was to alter human genetics, making human trials

a heart removed from

scenes they'd encountered, Abigail

specifically, the fresh

a ritual offering

it might not be

the intercepted cargo of ST-1 prototypes, Vivienne found them useless

Percival helped Vivienne up.

Leopold below, dumbfounded, "Vivienne, what about

everyone gone, he couldn't possibly move

that gear looked dead

removing her mask above, tucked her hair behind her ear and instructed Draven, "It's of no use, burn it all."

below, and said without a change in expression, "If you don't come up now there really will

the Wright

returning home, had just parked her car in the garage when she spotted a shadow darting nearby, its presence

She screamed in fright.

sneaky advance, turning

turned pale, too

look as she stumbled

trembling, "Don't

beg you.