The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Asher was caught off guard by Vivienne's slick move, momentarily forgetting how to react.

After Thomas fired his shot, the Grimshaw family members went berserk, pulling out all their dirty tricks. But the crew Vivienne and Percival brought along, either personally trained by Vivienne or battle-hardened with Percival, were top-notch. The Grimshaws couldn't lay a finger on them.

Soon enough, most of the Grimshaws were captured. Those who weren't nabbed were the ones with special abilities. Thinking they could use their powers to save their skins, they hesitated upon seeing Asher's lack of reaction, wisely keeping their abilities under wraps. Without the head honcho's say-so, they dared not unleash their powers recklessly.

Snapping out of his daze, Asher couldn't hold back anymore. He unleashed his power towards Thomas and Leopold. If he couldn't touch Vivienne and Percival, dealing with these non-powered folks should have been like taking candy from a baby, right? But to his shock, his power just vanished into thin air! Vanished-what the heck? Asher's jaw dropped in disbelief. What he witnessed was beyond anything he could comprehend. Weren't the ancient warriors supposed to be the strongest? Feared even by nations? Yet, why was his power utterly useless against these people? Mid-stare, Leopold turned with a smirk, "Your little tricks? They're nothing in front of Vivienne. Before we even stepped foot into Grimshaw territory, she had us pop Spirit-Dampening Pills." Asher clenched his teeth in frustration. "Spirit-Dampening Pills? What on earth are those?" He'd never heard of them before. "Spirit-Dampening Pills, my latest invention," Vivienne chimed in, "designed to suppress ancient warrior abilities." Leopold was initially clueless about its purpose, especially since he'd just found out about the ancient warriors' powers. This stuff was usually the fodder of TV shows, wasn't it? But seeing Asher's power fizzle against Vivienne and Percival, leaving them unfazed, he was utterly in awe of Vivienne. She was always one step ahead! Those pills were like bulletproof vests. Asher's attacks were as bothersas a light tickle to them.

Asher was flabbergasted. Was Vivienne even human? She seemed more like a demon! Vivienne, unfazed, glanced at the time, then at Leopold, "Twenty minutes have passed, Leopold. If we don't wrap this up in five, you're rewriting the 'Tao Te Ching' 200 times!" Leopold shuddered at the thought. Rewriting the 'Tao Te Ching' 200 times was a fate worse than manual labor! Percival raised an eyebrow. Leopold laughed nervously, "Just kidding!" Not wanting to delay any further, he and Thomas led their teams straight into the Grimshaw compound. However, as soon as they stepped foot inside, an invisible force struck them, sending their bodies flying out of the compound. Including their teammates, no one was spared.

Leopold and Thomas spat out blood, feeling as if their bodies were falling apart. Clutching his chest, Leopold, pale as a ghost, pleaded with Vivienne, "Can we pause the timer? We've hit a snag." He truly didn't want to rewrite the 'Tao Te Ching'.

Vivienne ignored him, her gaze fixed on the figure emerging from the courtyard. Oliver Grimshaw approached with a solemn expression. Surveying the scene, his gaze landed on Asher, his voice emotionless, "Useless!" Asher's face flushed with shame, "I'm sorry, Dad! I've failed..." But his apology was cut short upon spotting the person behind Oliver, his expression turning to one of shock, "Why is he here?" The man behind Oliver glanced over indifferently, his tone icy, "The Grimshaw heir shouldn't be a failure!" "Shut up!" Asher roared, "I'm talking to Dad, not you!" The world only knew of Ethan Grimshaw, the lesser-known son of the family, but not of his illegitimacy. His mother had used devious means to bear Ethan as Oliver's son. Initially, Oliver refused to acknowledge Ethan, prioritizing the family's century-old glory over a bastard son. in After testing both sons, Asher was chosen as the heir for his superior qualities in every aspect. Although Ethan was not as capable as Asher, his intelligence was undeniable Thus, Oliver accepted him, but Ethan was barred from inheriting the Grimshaw legacy. Asher, already detesting Ethan, had him banished to ensure he never crossed paths. Oliver surprisingly agreed. Over the years, Ethan remained mostly out of sight, which probably saved his life from Asher's wrath. But Asher never expected Ethan to show up now, especially not alongside Oliver. That morning, Oliver had claimed to be away on business.

Oliver glanced at him with a touch of indifference, his voice weathered and devoid of emotion, "From this day forward, Ethan will be the heir to the Grimshaw estate." "What?" Asher's eyes widened in disbelief, "Dad, what are you talking about?" "Smack!" Oliver delivered a virtual slap across the distance, his voice cold, "You've managed the Grimshaw legacy into this state, and you have the audacity to question me?" "I..." Asher tried to explain, but Oliver was beyond listening, "We'll settle your accounts later." With that, Oliver turned his gaze to Vivienne, "I underestimated you. So, you're Jasper Perez's granddaughter after all. No wonder he's so protective of you." et Vivienne's relationship with Jasper was known to only a close few; to the outside world, she was just a distant relative. It was only recently that Oliver noticed Vivienne taking the Abernathy family to court in a highly public manner, which was unusual for her. Vivienne was known for her decisive and swift actions. The fact that she had solid evidence against the Abernathy family yet didn't proceed with official channels, choosing instead to engage in a prolonged legal battle, hinted at an ulterior motive beyond just dealing with the Abernathys. Perhaps, the Grimshaws were also in her sights. Upon digging deeper, Oliver discovered Vivienne's direct lineage to Jasper. Facing Vivienne, Oliver's tone turned icy, "I had srespect for Jasper, but by causing trouble for the Grimshaws, you've crossed a line. Today, you'll answer for it."