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.

out her phone and texted Percival,

[Came up empty. You?]

[Hook, line, and sinker.]

Vivienne's cunning expression from those words - like a smug

the house of the Ellington family's

get out of bed yet," Heloise said, her

was beyond their imagination. A mere toss had

the timely hospital

limped to the couch. "I'm going stir-crazy lying in

in agony. It was better to move

off impatiently. "Never mind me. What about Fiona?

throw her out of the company?" "I told you,

shouting upstairs to Fiona's room, "Fiona, what are you doing hiding all day? Think you can get back into the company that

of the Ellington family's second branch, with half their savings coming

she was out, they had lost a significant source

parents' and Jeffrey's complaints below. She put

concern. It

not just in the art galleries; she also needed the Ellington Group's resources

her livelihood, her

had signed agreements. If she failed to deliver

dialed an unknown number on her phone. "How's

hands,

I'll find a way

rubbed her fingertips,

an unfamiliar number

hesitating, she answered,

woman's voice replied, "Ms.,

Fiona paused.

Calista?

close, but Fiona had heard

once-proclaimed prodigy of traditional medicine, the cheap daughter of the former

become reclusive. Why was she

Fiona asked, her voice smooth, the earlier darkness

came through. "Got time for