The Million-Dollar Heart

Leopold could not believe it as the call abruptly ended.

Griffin hung up on him!

This was not normal!

Even Vivienne was taken aback. She remembered quite vividly what Griffin was like the last time they met.

But this time, it was a complete turnaround.

Taking a deep breath, Leopold joined Vivienne and Percival on their way to the Runxing Community.

In the residential area.

Griffin was waiting at the front door. As soon as she saw Vivienne, she greeted her warmly, "Vivienne, long time no see."

"It has been a while," Vivienne greeted back.

"Come on in," Griffin said as she opened the door. "It's just me at home."

Vivienne and Percival walked in side by side, followed closely by Anna.

Just as Leopold was about to follow them inside, Griffin suddenly shut the door and said sternly, "Didn't you hear me? It's just me at home. You think you can just barge into a lady's private space?" Leopold was almost speechless. He incredulously pointed at Percival. "What about him?"

"He's Vivienne's fiancé, practically family. Of course, he can come in," Griffin said, raising an eyebrow at Leopold. "And you are?"

With a thud, the door closed, leaving Leopold alone in the chilling wind.

Griffin's place was not like the typical girl's house. It had an old-fashioned charm, with mahogany furniture and a table in the center of the living room.

The only out-of-place item was a Husky figurine on the tea table.

Vivienne sat down without concern for why Leopold could not come in and got straight to the point, "Griffin, we're here because we need your help with something." As Griffin skillfully poured tea for everyone, she asked, "What's up?"

Percival pulled out a model of a cutting-edge bomb, explaining, "We need to figure out the workings and structure of this bomb and develop a detector for it. Interested?" Griffin's eyes lit up.

and expert, she was

the rounds on the black market?"

Vivienne nodded. "Yes."

and

over in her hands. "Of course I am. This thing, it stole one of my

idea?" Vivienne was

pulling out an unfinished paper. "This was my concept three years ago. But then my computer got hacked, and I noticed this paper had been copied. I knew someone must have plagiarized

paper; indeed, the content matched certain features

come across this?"

but I have one condition, a non-negotiable. Agree to

not deny

slyly.

taken aback. "I

could finish, Vivienne cut her off, "It doesn't

had heard this from outside, he would have said,

condition. Then they quickly moved on to

about ten minutes at Griffin's house, the partnership was settled, and they left the new bomb prototype

car the whole time, his mind a whirl of

attitude towards him today. And what was with her sudden

said that he would marry her in a heartbeat if his grandfather

old man disagreed, why take it out

he saw Vivienne, Percival,

turned to Vivienne. "Did she

at him and

it was not that simple, "Did she make some outrageous demand? Did she give you guys a hard time?" Leopold pressed his lips, bracing himself,

the cheek. I didn't even know what getting married meant. Besides, the

off his

him as

were full of undisguised

his head in confusion, Leopold turned to Anna. "Anna,

measured look before slowly saying, "Griffin did make a condition, and

to marry

that you must be utterly out of sight during the research. You can't even deliver documents. To put it bluntly, you need to disappear from our lives for