The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

The moment Leopold spoke, the car fell into a silence that stretched for a full thirty seconds.

Vivienne looked up at Leopold with a hint of exasperation in her eyes. Her junior always had a knack for being clever at the most inconvenient times.

Sthings, even if you know them, you just don't blurt out! Realizing he might have put his foot in it, Leopold met Matthew's disapproving gaze and chuckled awkwardly, trying to change the subject. "So, what do we do now? Head over to the YQ Research Center first?" Vivienne nodded. "Let's drop Holly off there first. She can't hold on much longer with just the meds I've been giving her. The lab's equipment is state-of-the-art, and with Brody there to help out, I can run stests and stabilize her condition. Then, we need to focus all our efforts on dealing with the Abernathys!" Neither Leopold nor Matthew objected to the plan.

Percival, who had regained his composure, gripped Vivienne's hand tightly, "Leave Gavin to me! I want to avenge Aunt Holly myself!" YQ Research Center.

The soft blue floor lights flickered overhead. The roar of the rain and thunder was swallowed by the soundproof walls. Behind the frosted glass doors, Percival and Leopold could only make out the vague silhouettes of two people inside.

"Hey, what's going on in there?" Enzo sidled up to Leopold, nudging his elbow.

The touch was met with an impatient brush-off, and Leopold held a finger to his lips, "Keep it down, will you? Coutside; I'll fill you in." He cast a surreptitious glance at the stone-faced Percival and gestured for Enzo to follow him out of the lab.

Matthew, noticing their antics, chose to ignore them and pulled out a beer from seemingly nowhere. "Relax, with Vivienne in there, everything's going to be all right." Percival's eyes flickered. "I know." Matthew stifled a sigh, thinking, "If you know, then why are you still sitting here like a statue?" Inside the operating room, Vivienne and Brody worked with grave intensity. "Hemostats." Vivienne let Brody wipe the sweat from her brow as she received the shiny forceps, her gloves stained with blood.

Brody glanced more than once at the woman lying on the operating table.

When she had first been brought in, he thought Vivienne and the others had dug up a corpse! Learning that she was Percival's aunt, he was somewhat incredulous.

But now, seeing the woman, cleaned up yet with cheeks hollowed from malnutrition and unconsciousness, he could see the resemblance to Percival.

"I never thought I'd see the day when the Ellington family heiress would be reduced to this," he clicked his tongue. "You sure you can cure her?" Based on his experience, someone like Holly should have been long gone. Her survival till now was nothing short of a miracle. If Vivienne hadn't brought her back from that remote village they mentioned, she probably wouldn't have lasted a few more months.

Frankly, even he wasn't sure he could save her.

Vivienne didn't blink as she replied, "It'll take seffort, that's all." Brody looked at her in surprise. "Sometimes I really wonder just how advanced your medical skills are. Is there anyone in the world you can't save?" The only sounds in the room were the ticking of the surgical instruments and the slicing of flesh.

Vivienne didn't respond, focusing instead on stitching up Holly's incision. After the final suture, she finally breathed a sigh of relief, put all the tools back on the tray, and removed her mask. "I'm no miracle worker. The equipment in Room 3 is top-notch; I've arranged for her to stay there." Vivienne tidied up the aftermath of the surgery on Holly and, after scrubbing her hands, opened a sterile passageway. "Tomorrow morning, someone will cto take care of her. What you need to do is monitor all her vital signs. If anything unexpected happens, callimmediately. If you can't reach me, get Percival." Leave it to me," Brody assured, ushing the gurney through the assageway. He preferred experiments, but looking after a patient was well within his lcapabilities. Plus, he was curious to see how the Specter Healer Would vork her magic on someone who vas practically knocking on death's loor. ¿w"How did it go?" The operating room door opened with a ding. Leopold and Enzo, who had returned from outside, along with Matthew and Percival, who had been waiting, crowded around.

Vivienne's face held a gentle smile.

IThe surgery was a success, and Aunt Holly's condition is stable. Now, it's all about recovery. She asn't been properly cared for in 'ears, and her organs have suffered sdamage." ¿wIn front of the others, Vivienne squeezed Percival's hand to reassure him, "She needs tto heal and further treatment later. Right now, our focus is on revenge." The coolness of Percival's palm warmed under her touch.

Percival managed a faint smile as he looked at Vivienne, his expression softening with tenderness that Leopold and the other bachelors couldn't quite understand.

Matthew spoke up, "Vivienne, shall we head back to the estate?" Leopold chimed in, "Anna's been callingnon-stop. If we don't get back soon, I think Mrs. Littleton is going to lose it.' Vivienne nodded. "Let's go." As the first light of dawn hit the estate, the heavy doors finally made a sound.

Kaitlyn rose immediately, hastening her steps, but before she could reach the door, Vivienne and the others pushed it open and entered.

"Vivienne!" "Ms. Vivienne!" "Young Master!" "Vivienne!" The four seated figures turned their heads simultaneously, their steps hastening as they made a beeline toward Vivienne and her group.

Kaitlyn was the swiftest among them. By the tJerry and the others reached the entrance, she had already grasped Vivienne's hand, her face etched with sorrow.

Before Kaitlyn could utter a word, Vivienne said, “Kaitlyn, I already know about your parents. Don't worry, I have a plan." "Ms. Vivienne, thank heavens you're back.” Anna let out a sigh of relief. Any longer and she would have struggled to keep Kaitlyn calm! Draven, with his sharp eyes, scanned their faces and furrowed his brow. "Something's gone wrong, hasn't it? You all look like hell- dark circles almost hitting the floor." Leopold shook his head miserably. "Don't even start. All I know is, Gavin has to go down. No matter what!" "Huh?" Anna's face was the epitof confusion.

Even Draven's expression was indescribable. Sure, Gavin's actions were deplorable, but why did Leopold look as if he were out for blood, as if Gavin had done him a personal grievous wrong? Their baffled gazes shifted to Vivienne. Under their scrutiny, she was reluctant to air Percival's dirty laundry in public.

Jerry, privy to the truth and sworn to secrecy by Leopold, opened his mouth but chose silence under Vivienne's cautionary gaze. "We'll talk about it later. Right now, we need to figure out how to retrieve Kaitlyn's parents' ashes," Vivienne said with a stern voice, skillfully changing the subject.

She pulled a prescription from her pocket. "The Abernathy family wants the secret recipe, so let's give it to them. It's high twe found out what the Grimshaw family really wants with it!" "Give it to them?" mmMwWLlilOfiflO&1 mmMwWLlilOfiflo&1 mmMwWLliI0fiflO&1 mmMwWLlilOfiflo&1 mmMwWLliI0fifl0&1 mmMwWLlilOfiflO&1