The Million-Dollar Heart

Mark knew his fate was sealed. Betraying the Nine Mystics Society and harming his brethren had left him no escape.

His only option now was to divulge what he knew about GTO to save his own skin.

"Young Master, my latest orders were to shift our operations to Sea City and locate someone named Imogen to await further instructions. That's all I was told, Young Master. Please, can you spare my life?" Vivienne's eyes narrowed.

Imogen had fled to Sea City, the turf of the Perez family.

Mark continued to plead as a tear traced his cheek.

Vivienne brushed off the man's insincere tears and pressed, "Once in Sea City, how will you find Imogen?"

"I don't know, but our base there is at a virus research facility. I haven't been given details."

Seizing a thread of hope, Mark blurted out, "Young Master, I'll make amends. I'll go to Sea City, uncover the research facility, and deliver this woman, Imogen, to you. I swear I'll complete the mission."

His voice was urgent, punctuated by fits of coughing that suddenly brought forth blood. His heart felt pierced with a thousand needles, suffocating him with pain.

Vivienne stood, dusted off her jacket, and said indifferently, "I gave Flynn a poison that's tearing him apart from the inside. Yours is a hundred times stronger. You'll spend every moment in agony." Mark collapsed, his face ashen.

No one knew better than him the potency of the Young Master's poisons.

His pleas were in vain.

Just as he thought this was the harshest punishment, Vivienne spoke slowly, "You think this is enough?"

Mark shuddered.

Was there something worse waiting for him?

from the day you joined the Nine Mystics Society, death would never be the

door,

document, pressed Mark's thumb for a print, and walked out, leaving behind a chilling command, "Throw him

"Young Master, I beg you. I'll never betray you again. Please, you can kill me, but

stunned by

of ferocious dogs used to punish traitors. For years, no human had ever been

dared to cross her. She had hoped she would never have to use it.

much Mark's betrayal

the organization that had killed Vivienne's mother, and she was relentless in her quest for vengeance against it, swearing to

had dealt with many from GTO, but none suffered as Mark

and she never had any personal grudge against them. Thus, if they did not cross her, she might grant them a quick death if she

she was attached to all Nine Mystics

why Vivienne would throw Mark into the hound pit. If he were betrayed by someone he trusted, he would

hearing Mark's begging, she smiled, a poisonous bloom. "I'm a law-abiding citizen. Why would I kill? Don't you worry, you won't die. You'll be tended to every day, year

Mark's last hope. He sat, mouth agape,

waiting, having overheard everything.

would not forgive Mark

always been absent, and that only

document and said, "From today, you are the head

was Mark's will. It stated that upon his death, everything

truly dead was

he knew very well that whether he could obtain complete control of the Miller family still depended

I promise, the Miller family

pledge was filled with a young