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.

her phone and texted Percival, [How's

[Came up empty. You?]

[Hook, line, and sinker.]

Vivienne's cunning expression from those words - like

the house of the Ellington family's

doctor said you can't get out of bed yet," Heloise said, her heart

imagination. A mere toss

not for the timely hospital visit, he might have lost

the couch. "I'm going stir-crazy

he was in agony. It was better

mind me. What about

him. How could he just throw her out of the company?" "I told you, I should have joined the company instead of letting Fiona hog the spotlight.

doing hiding all day? Think you can get back into the company that way? Come out and figure out how to ask

with half their savings coming from her

she was out, they had lost a significant source

Jeffrey's complaints below. She

was not her most pressing concern. It was her clandestine dealings that weighed on

business was not just in the art galleries; she also needed the Ellington Group's resources and connections, even using their transportation to make

her livelihood,

signed agreements. If she failed to deliver

unknown number on her phone.

hands, being moved

eye. I'll find a way to get her

rubbed her fingertips, her usually cool face fading

an unfamiliar number

hesitating, she answered, "Who's

woman's voice replied, "Ms., I'm

Fiona paused.

Calista?

but Fiona had heard of Calista in their

prodigy of traditional medicine, the cheap daughter of

also become reclusive. Why was

asked, her voice

through. "Got time for