The Million-Dollar Heart

Astrid fidgeted nervously beside Vivienne, apparently still wracked with guilt over the previous day's events.

Vivienne, unfazed, glanced at Astrid with eyes as soft as a strawberry cheesecake and stood up.

Astrid halted her with a call, "Vivienne."

Vivienne's lips curved into a smile, her bright eyes flashing with disinterest. "What is it?"

Astrid rose and approached her, lifting her shirt.

On her slender waist was a hideous black scar.

A knife wound, poisoned.

Astrid clenched her fist. "I got this on a mission when I fell into the enemy's trap. Now, I still suffer from the pain, especially when it rains, my whole body aches.

Vivienne, I'm not trying to gain your sympathy. I just want to tell you that we've sacrificed our lives to ensure that our organization can develop a defense against the biochemical weapons of rival nations.

So, on behalf of the organization and our country, I'm inviting you to join our fight!"

Vivienne's gaze fell on the scar on Astrid's waist.

It was clearly real.

She grasped Astrid's wrist and felt for her pulse.

The poison had been lurking in her body for years; she, indeed, had suffered greatly.

Vivienne casually took out a life-saving pill and popped it into Astrid's mouth. "This poison isn't hard to cure. Just come to me once a day."

After a pause, she added, "I'm quite interested in what you've said. I'll give it a try."

Astrid froze, surprised. "You mean you agree?"

Vivienne nodded slightly. "Yeah, but I'm out if your experiments don't meet my standards."

"Great. You'll find our experiments fascinating," Astrid said with a smile. "I'll notify the organization and see when they can take you to the lab." With that, Astrid went into her room.

Looking at her door, Vivienne let a sly smile creep onto her face.

pulled out her phone and texted Percival, [How's

[Came up empty. You?]

[Hook, line, and sinker.]

expression from those words - like a smug

house of the Ellington family's

get out of bed

was beyond their imagination. A mere

the timely hospital visit, he might have lost his

to the couch. "I'm

was useless; he was in agony. It was better

mind me. What about Fiona? Why was she kicked

of the company?" "I told you, I should have joined the

you doing hiding all day? Think you can get back into the company that way?

was the mainstay of the Ellington family's second branch, with

she was out, they had lost a significant source

her room, ignoring her parents' and Jeffrey's complaints below. She put on headphones, locked the

not her most pressing concern. It was her

in the art galleries; she also needed the Ellington Group's resources and connections, even

was her

she had signed agreements. If she failed to deliver as promised, it could cost her her

dialed an unknown number on her

still in our hands,

Keep a close eye. I'll find

call, Fiona rubbed her fingertips, her usually cool face fading to

unfamiliar

she answered,

voice replied,

Fiona paused.

Calista?

were not close, but Fiona had heard

traditional medicine, the cheap daughter of the former Brooks family

arrest, Calista had also become reclusive. Why

for you?" Fiona asked,

voice came through. "Got time