The Million-Dollar Heart

Vivienne glared at the scene for a solid thirty minutes before she finally averted her gaze.

At that moment, Calista had just danced with the reaper, her toes still dangling over the edge of the abyss.

"Easy there, I just tossed away her eyeball yesterday," Vivienne remarked dryly, casting a sidelong glance at Brody.

Brody nodded in understanding. "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

As they spoke, the poison coursing through Calista's veins was neutralized.

Vivienne did not linger. She motioned for Anna to follow, and they left the lab.

The moment she shut the door, Brody's voice boomed from inside, "Vivienne, you're a real asshole!"

Anna peered through the glass and saw Brody awkwardly propped up on hands and feet, his head stretched upward, resembling a turtle stuck on its back.

"Ms. Vivienne, you sure take revenge promptly," Anna said with a quiet chuckle, giving Vivienne the thumbs up.

Vivienne flicked her hair dismissively. She was not about to take Brody's scolding for nothing.

"Let's go," she said, looping an arm around Anna's neck as they exited the lab.

Just as they approached the car, both women tensed and swiftly rolled away to either side.

Two tranquilizer darts thudded into the seat where they had just stood.

Vivienne stood by the car's rear, her face a storm as she eyed the direction from which the darts had come.

Anna, positioned at the front, looked in the opposite direction with equal vigilance.

Suddenly, operatives wearing the uniforms of the Vanguard Agency special squad emerged from all around, led by none other than Soren.

Clad in tactical gear and goggles, Soren's surprise was evident even through his battle-hardened facade. "It's you?"

Vivienne's expression remained calm and unreadable.

was clear from Soren's face that he had only discovered upon arrival that his

Interesting.

that swore to protect

Vivienne silent, Soren paused before addressing

after Vivienne.

was a Vanguard operative, duty-bound

shot him a frosty glare. "Rejoin

lip twitched, a silent message to Anna, "You've been hanging out with Leopold too

the once-sweet girl had adopted

you as Squad Leader to

behind Vivienne, "My orders from Commander Percival are clear: protect Vivienne at all costs, no matter who the

the order on his display, then aimed his weapon at Vivienne, "Vivienne Hawthorn, You're under arrest. Lay down your arms and surrender." Vivienne tilted her head

suggests you're the mastermind behind CK, known as

laughed out

behind the Vanguard agents. He limped, leaning on

had never met him in person, but his face had been etched into her memory since she was

mother's old

feet before her and smiled, "You look so much

smile, "But let's skip the trip down memory lane and

"Fair point. Let's talk about the

a

to earn more time outside prison, implicating you in every crime

"Is there

from the club where you handed off the Boar Poison to Fiona and the transaction records to the engineer who attempted to take out Carl. Only your fingerprint could authorize that

again.

be seizing this lab, the film studio down at Eastlake Bay, all properties in your name, and we'll be monitoring all your close contacts, including Dorian's family, the

planning to monitor these people or use

flickered, but he

was as

the circle of agents. "Just so you know, you

should be resistant to your poisons, right?" Micah smirked slyly at Vivienne, the cunning

in a bind because of my own Life-saving pill. But since you've partaken, remember to pay up. Five million a pop, but for Mr.