The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Everyone was absolutely floored by Vivienne's audacious move.

But Arthur? He was thrilled! His daughter had given an order, and he was determined to see it through.

"Listen up, everyone!" he announced. "Ladies to carry a weight of 10 pounds, gents 20 pounds, and we're going to do an extrcross-country run along the Rivenwood suburb roads, back and forth to the Perez household for a total of 12 miles!" The Perez family just stared, dumbfounded.

What in the world were this father-daughter duo thinking? 20 pounds and a cross-country run? And with added weight? On one hand? Did they think they were immortal beings or something? This was going to kill them if it didn't leave them half-dead! Seeing the Perez family unmoved, Arthur couldn't issue commands like he might in his squad, so he approached Jasper with a low voice, "Dad! Vivienne seems serious. Let's just go along with it, otherwise, who knows what she'll concoct next if we don't?" Jasper glanced at Vivienne, unsure of what had gotten into her, but preferring the cross-country challenge to any unpredictable antics, he declared, "Let's do as Vivienne wishes!" There was no arguing once the head of the Perez family had spoken. Everyone scrambled to fill their backpacks with items weighing exactly 10 or 20 pounds, then lined up and started running! Vivienne, meanwhile, found a long bamboo stick and hopped into a car, sternly instructing the driver, "Follow them closely!" Maddox, jogging beside Percival, looked back at Vivienne and whispered, "What did you do to Vivienne?" Percival responded with a heavy silence, "...Nothing!" "Why is she acting this way then?" Maddox was baffled. A perfectly fine day, and suddenly they're subjected to an extrrun? It felt like a death sentence! He hadn't even had the chance to marry Willa Perez yet! After a moment, Percival reluctantly dialed Jerry's number, but with no response, he then called Leopold Sterling.

The call was quickly answered, "What's up with Vivienne?" "It's me," Percival spoke in a low tone.

Leopold paused, then recognizing the number, "Percival? Why are you callingwith Vivienne's phone?" "Vivienne has us doing an extrrun out of the blue. Do you know why?" Leopold was at a loss, "I've got no idea!" "Try Jerry. He called earlier, hung up abruptly when I mentioned Vivienne drinking. Maybe he knows something," Percival suggested.

Leopold, now alarmed, exclaimed, "Wait, Vivienne drank?!" "Yeah," Percival confirmed, "Around ten bottles!" That's bad. Really bad! Vivienne can't handle her liquor at all. If she's naking you run 12 miles now, who nows what's next? I better get out of here before she remembers me," Leopold said, hastily gathering his hings before abruptly hanging up.

In the Emerald Mountain brotherhood chat, Leopold dropped a bombshell, "Vivienne's drunk off ten bottles!" The unanimous response was, "Damn, what are we waiting for? Run!" Meanwhile, Percival stared at his phone in disbelief. He'd been with Vivienne long enough but had never seen her drink, assuming she didn't want to, not that she couldn't.

The run was the least of their worries? He massaged his temples, feeling a headache coming on.

Maddox, overhearing everything, grimaced, "So, she's drunk?" Percival sighed, "Yes." "Oh, my luck!" Maddox groaned, as they all trudged on, Arthur taking the lead.

Arthur, determined, made a call to Shane, "Get scars and people over here; we need to stop my daughter's car!" Shane, confused, complied without question.

Soon, a car sped up and deliberately crashed into Vivienne's, causing just enough damage to stop it without injuring anyone.

Shane and Dante approached, offering to take the car for repairs ve but Vivienne was having none of it. With a flick of her wrist, she immobilized them, leaving them to embarrass themselves in public.

As the driver suggested they head back, Shane had already conveyed to him, albeit discreetly, to keep Vivienne from going further, out of concern for Arthur's well-being.

Though confused by Vivienne's sudden behavior, everyone's primary concern now was to follow through with her bizarre demand, all the while wondering what had unleashed this storm in the vel.ne place. Vivienne frowned thoughtfully, "Let's head back!" Meanwhile, Arthur had everyone pile into the car, taking a winding tour around town for over an hour before heading back home.

He had already gotten wind that Vivienne was tipsy. Making him run a half marathon was one thing, but the folks from the Perez clan weren't cut out for such antics.

Given that Vivienne had been drinking, he figured she'd be sound asleep by the tthey returned.

But to their surprise, as soon as they stepped through the front gate, there was Vivienne, standing in the yard with a grin, "Back already?" Arthur and Jasper exchanged looks before he quietly asked the old man, "Is Vivienne sober now?" "Not sure!" Jasper glared at him, "And keep your distance. I haven't accepted you as my son-in-law yet!" As they were speaking, Vivienne cover with a glass of water and handed it to Arthur, "Here, drink this!" Seeing the water Vivienne handed him, Arthur's smile stretched ear to ear. Without a second thought, he gulped it down.

His daughter was offering him water! She was accepting him! But the next second, his face twisted in shock, staring at Vivienne, "What did you add to this?" Vivienne, still smiling, said, “A laxative-laced lemonade!” Arthur was dumbstruck.

And then, he bolted for the bathroom!