The Million-Dollar Heart

At the Perez Mansion.

Jasper, balancing a box of strawberry shortcake, made his way inside.

Natalia and Yasmine blinked their dewy eyes and scampered towards Jasper in unison.

Zelda was engrossed in a YouTube tutorial, trying to master the art of the perfect strawberry shortcake.

"Dad, didn't you go play chess with Richard? What brings you back so soon?" Zelda asked, setting aside her lopsided whipped cream to greet him.

Jasper opened the shortcake box and divided it into two generous slices for the eagerly waiting Natalia and Yasmine.

He waved off her concern with a smile. "Richard got wind that Vivienne and her grandson leaped off a cliff. Rushed off to check on them."

Zelda gasped, startled. She had been preoccupied with her cake-making venture all day and had not caught any news. "A cliff? What happened?"

"Nothing serious, just a rescue mission. Vivienne and Percival are quite the capable pair," Jasper chuckled.

Jasper had known about Vivienne and Percival's heroic act at the racetrack since the previous night and had already dispatched Yuri to gather details. Even the intel about the engineer had been discreetly passed on to Leopold by Yuri.

So, his worry had long since passed.

Zelda breathed a sigh of relief. "You gave me quite the scare. I'll have to remind Vivienne to steer clear of danger next time. How terrifying."

Jasper glanced at the yard, where beaten eggs and cream were strewn about - even on Natalia and Yasmine. Sighing, he said, "Zelda, maybe you should steer clear of danger yourself." Zelda rubbed her nose with a grin. "No worries, I'm safe. The oven hasn't exploded yet."

Jasper did not protest further. His daughter-in-law was always chasing whims; last time, it was an obsession with braiding Natalia and Yasmine's hair, which nearly ended with the girls being bald. Now, it was strawberry shortcake, and who knew how long that phase would last?

As they were talking, Yuri arrived home, also carrying a box of strawberry shortcake, and began to clean up the eggshells from the girls. "Zelda, have Eva wash them. Look at their little faces." Zelda put down her utensils, knowing Yuri had matters to discuss with Jasper, and took the girls to bathe.

the yard, Jasper shut off the oven Zelda had left on

in Rivenwood, but we're unsure if it's the same F-Poison from back then. I've looked into the engineer you mentioned, but there's

sit in a wicker chair. "Another thing - Percival and his right-hand man have been suspended, and Leopold's been reassigned to the outskirts, away from core operations. Apparently, Fiona submitted a statement

"Take care of it. We can't let them get

a proper place for your wife to bake, would you?" Yuri sighed silently. "Zelda bake? If she can separate eggs without making a mess, I'd call it

at the bowls of unsuccessfully separated eggs, already dreading the egg-heavy meals ahead. In

returned from the Ellington family, Anna came home from school to find Thaddeus doing homework

like Charlotte's. It was cold efficiency, but it got results – unlike

said, ruffling Thaddeus's hair and handing him a

Thaddeus finished his last stroke, grabbed the PSP, and scampered to his room for

Vivienne, I can't reach headquarters, but Hotshot sent me a coded message

"Alright, I

have this feeling that headquarters is trying to sideline the captain's people. Husky's been sent to the outskirts, Captain Charlotte's been suspended, Hotshot is on standby without details, and the third squad has been scattered. There aren't

Vivienne. "Is something going to

on the

wait for Mark to pick him up before I leave each

be over," Vivienne said,

bit embarrassed. "Ms. Vivienne, how many more days

Vivienne turned to face Anna, propping her head with one hand. "What's up?" Anna bit

Oh?

perked up - unexpected

look, Anna's mouth twitched. "It's nothing major, but Kenneth keeps hanging around Elite University, getting in

trailed off, leaving Vivienne all ears for the latest

Vivienne sat up, clutching her throw pillow,

of roses every day. It's like he's