The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

When Vivienne and Percival turned to look again, the woman in red had vanished without a trace.

Vivienne wanted to chase after her, but Percival grabbed her wrist. “Vivienne, let it go. She hasn't shown us her full hand yet.” Even for Vivienne and Percival, it had been a stalemate at best. If they pursued her, their chances of victory were slim.

Besides, their main reason for coming to M State was to rescue people, and now that they had, their mission was complete. However, they still hadn't figured out why the puppet master behind this charade had gone to such lengths.

Vivienne peered in the direction the red-clad woman had disappeared, her gaze murky and unreadable.

Atop a nearby hill, the woman in red stood, her eyes fixed on the scene below where she could see Vivienne’s group.

Lucky for her, she had packed a smoke grenade, which briefly obscured their vision, allowing her a swift escape.

It had been years, and it was tfor her to return to Veridia.

She scoffed disdainfully, snapped her fan shut, and walked away. “Wait for it. We'll meet again.” Elsewhere.

Huxley had fainted from fright during the scuffle and was now jabbed awake by Vivienne’s needle.

“You guys alright?” Vivienne asked, looking toward Larry and Carl.

Larry, clutching his chest, replied, “Vivienne, we're fine.” He had sustained sinjuries, but they weren't a big deal for him.

Carl shook his head, too, indicating he was fine.

Huxley, however, was a different story. Upon waking and finding familiar faces - and the red-clad woman gone - he knew he had been saved and burst into tears.

“I thought | was a goner...” Larry looked at him and wanted to punch him out of frustration but restrained himself for Vivienne's sake.

“Did anyone see what she looked like under that mask?” Yuri couldn't help asking. The woman had given him an odd sense of familiarity as if they had met before. The mention of having held Vivienne as a child had also piqued his curiosity. However, he combed through his memory but found no trace of her.

“Uncle, it's no use. The face under the mask was probably not her own.” These people are masters of disguise; they wouldn't dare show their true faces in public.

Larry stood up. “Vivienne, she mentioned Samantha. What's that about?” He had been on a solo mission from Vivienne, part of which was to investigate Samantha’s whereabouts.

Instead, he ended up being the one kidnapped, a humiliating turn of events for him.

Vivienne chuckled, looking at Percival. “Mr. Wolf, it's tto head home. Swebs need untangling.” The uncles were full of questions, wondering why they were returning hwithout having completed their mission. Were they just going to leave the woman in red unchased? “Okay,” Percival nodded.

Everything was in control except for the woman in red. However, she was not exactly going to cause a problem.

After all, they had deliberately allowed sthings to happen so they could achieve the optimal result.

“So, what was our purpose here in M State? Apart from being third wheels, what else did we accomplish?” Vivienne’s three uncles wondered.

Vivienne and Percival: Don’t blus! Larry: You get used to it.

Nonetheless, Vivienne checked them for injuries. The woman in red’s moves had been bizarre, and this was the first tVivienne had encountered such tactics. The silver needles from her fan were coated in a deadly poison, which would have required her stto counteract.

After examining them and finding only minor injuries, a cracked rib for Larry, and a severely shaken Huxley, Vivienne addressed the latter, “Didn’t F-Poison capture you? How did you end up here?” Huxley's tale of woe began. “I have no idea! Back then, Mom lost everything for that man, leaving my sister and | with only each other to depend on. Later, | was captured, and F-Poison dumpedin an asylum.

Living with those maniacs was hell! It was torture! But when | almost lost it, she suddenly broughtto this sanatorium, where | found Carl. You guys know what happened next.” “I see.” Vivienne's eyelids lowered, hiding the look in her eyes.

“Do you want to cback with us?” She asked.

“Yes!” Huxley replied without hesitation.

Vivienne’s lips curved in a mysterious smile. “Alright then.” The roar of private jets could be heard outside. The uncles peeked out to see two sleek private planes.

Fredrick couldn’t help but ask, “Just two planes? How will we all fit?” Percival answered, “Uncles, Vivienne and | will head back first. In a day, someone will cto take you back to Veridia.” Everyone was puzzled.

Vivienne explained, “We have sbusiness to take care of back home. Uncles, you know what | mean.”

As the engines of the private jets hummed, a new chapter awaited Vivienne and Percival While the uncles were left to ponder the mysterious events of M State.Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates...

The three uncles finally had their lightbulb moment. No wonder they knew exactly where arry Carl and Huxley were yet Vivienne and Percival never rushed to their rescue.

They weren't even worried. It was clear now; they had a different plan all along.

Vivienne hadn't shared a peep about this with them. It must've been Percival’s influence! Yes, that had to be it!

Then it dawned on the tall at once—their dear niece Vivienne had married Percival and they hadn't even settled the score with him yet.

How could they possibly let him off the hook so easily? “Percival, you've got sexplaining to do about sneaking off to get married with our Vivienne!” the uncles chimed in unison, a united front ready to take him to task.

Vivienne stood off to the side, a playful spark in her eyes, as she watched Percival with a look that said, “I can’t wait to see you wiggle your way out of this one.”