The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

On the other side.

After leaving the courthouse, Vivienne and Percival, along with their team, set out to capture Samantha. On their way, Vivienne suddenly called Brody, instructing him to conduct a paternity test between Arthur and herself. She had deliberately left behind DNA samples during her quest to find her biological father. Deep down, Vivienne had a hunch about Arthur's paternity, but she needed confirmation. She needed to be sure that this man was not her father. To her, Arthur was like a nemesis-she simply couldn't stand the sight of him! After sending the message, their car pulled up at the Grimshaw Estate. Leopold glanced at the GPS on his laptop, then looked up, "The Grimshaw Estate? Vivienne, is Samantha hiding at the Grimshaw Estate?" But they had already investigated the Grimshaw Estate thoroughly and found no trace of Samantha. Vivienne, still waiting for Brody's reply, put away her phone, opened the car door, and said, "Does it matter whether she's at the Grimshaw Estate or not? If the Abernathy Estate is going down, the Grimshaw Estate has to go too. With the four major ancient warrior families, only two remain. Wouldn't it be easier to find that woman in red?" Leopold was taken aback for a moment, "Are we really going after the Grimshaw Estate? But... it's protected by the state. If we touch it, we might not be able to explain ourselves." Vivienne gave him a look that screamed 'are you an idiot?' Percival didn't even bother with a glance; he felt his IQ dropping just by association, fearing his wife would disapprove. Thomas also gave Leopold a pitiful look and kindly explained, "Mr. Sterling, why do you think Percival and the lady were asked to establish a new security bureau?" Leopold scoffed at him, "What else? It's obviously because the ancient warrior families have disrupted the balance!" He couldn't stand being looked at with such disdain. Percival and Vivienne were one thing-they were of high intelligence. But Thomas? Why should he look down on him? The two were equals; neither was smarter than the other! Thomas just chuckled dismissively, no longer engaging with him, and signaled his men to follow him, Percival, and Vivienne into the Grimshaw Estate. Leopold was left fuming at Thomas's smugness.

The Grimshaw Estate.

Since morning, Asher had been keeping an eye on the trial. As Vivienne presented her witnesses one by one, he knew the Abernathy Estate was doomed. He was about to order a hit on Gavin when, to his surprise, he saw Arthur on the live feed. The War God of Veridia had personally stepped in to save Gavin? Gavin had kept it well hidden; Asher was almost fooled! He immediately called his men back. Lucky for him, he had been following the live feed, or else offending Arthur over Gavin would have been a disastrous mistake. He continued to watch until Arthur showed up, and after a brief interaction with Vivienne and the judge, the feed was cut. He missed the part where Arthur didn't take Gavin and Harrison with him.

Now, sitting in his chair, Asher pondered the situation. With the trial taking an unexpected turn, and the unpredictable involvement of Arthur, things were getting complicated. He couldn't understand why Oliver had instructed him to eliminate the Abernathy Estate upon their loss. It wasn't out of mercy; he simply saw no major consequence for the Abernathys, considering the state's leniency towards ancient warrior families. The Abernathy Estate still had its uses to Asher.

Initially, he agreed with Oliver only in words, without taking any real action. But after today's verdict, a sense of panic inexplicably urged him to act against the Abernathys. If not for Arthur's intervention, Emrys might already have been dealt with. Gavin's fate was of minor importance; what concerned him most was the relationship between Gavin and Arthur. The world knew Arthur as the War God but was unaware of his role in suppressing the ancient warrior families. While lost in thought, a servant rushed in, panic-stricken, "Young master, it's bad. Vivienne has surrounded the Grimshaw Estate with her men." Asher stood up abruptly, shocked, "What?" He thought he had misheard. Vivienne encircling the Grimshaw Estate? Had she lost her mind? Did she really think she could just surround the Grimshaw estate like it was slocal pub she could blockade? "It's true!" the newcomer declared. "Vivienne was there with Percival, and they brought a whole gang with them. They've practically besieged the Grimshaw estate, and as soon as they arrived, they started arresting people. A lot of our folks have already been taken." Asher's face turned a shade of thunderous gray, "Good! Very good! I'd like to see what guts Vivienne has, daring to cause trouble on my Grimshaw turf!" With that, he stomped out the door. As soon as he emerged, he saw Vivienne and Percival standing in front of the Grimshaw mansion, surrounded by a team of fully armed officers who were busy detaining people. Asher roared in anger, "Vivienne! Percival! The nerve you've got, arresting people on Grimshaw grounds!" Vivienne and Percival only gave him yela glance, not deigning to speak. Then, Vivienne gave Thomas a nod. Understanding the cue, Thomas stepped forward, pulling out an arrest warrant with a serious expression, "Under orders from the authorities, the Grimshaw family is suspected of threatening national security. We are here to detain all members of the Grimshaw family for investigation!" Asher glanced at the warrant. Being who he was, he recognized it as an official government issue. His brow furrowed, and he retorted, "Nonsense! Since when has the Grimshaw family ever threatened national security?" He could admit to sshady et dealings. Over the years, the Grimshaws had engaged in underhanded methods to amass their wealth. The Grimshaws, leading an ancient warrior lineage, had mostly been involved in these schemes for profit, and the Ov Abernathy family was no exception. But these activities were an open secret to the higher-ups, who generally turned a blind eye and seldom interfered. However, accusing the Grimshaws of endangering national security was something Asher wouldn't accept! As powerful as the ancient warrior lineage might be, no family could contend with the state. The Grimshaws weren't so bold as to risk the nation's security! "Whether there's truth to the claim, an investigation will tell," Thomas retorted with a sneer, before instructing his men, "Search thoroughly, don't overlook any place, especially the underground passages. Full sweep, remember, we must find Samantha!" Asher's brow tightened further, "Samantha? Who in the world is that?" Thomas let out a mysterious smile, "Whether she's a person or a ghost, you'll find out once we catch her, Mr. Grimshaw!" Privacy