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?

day you joined the Nine Mystics Society, death would never be the best outcome. For a traitor... even a

opened the door, Draven

and walked out, leaving behind a

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

Draven was stunned by her

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

knew of its existence and Vivienne's temperament. No one dared to cross her. She had hoped she would never have

was clear how much

pang of sympathy. A simple betrayal might have ended with poison, but Mark had joined GTO, the organization that had

from GTO, but none suffered as

her mother's death. They were not GTO's boss, and she never had any personal grudge against them. Thus, if they did not cross her, she might grant them a quick death if

was attached to all Nine Mystics Society

could understand why Vivienne would throw Mark into the hound pit. If

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 after year unless I die.

words crushed Mark's last hope. He sat, mouth agape, unable to

Aaron was waiting, having overheard

course, would not

and that only seemed

you are

that upon his death, everything would pass

dead was irrelevant. What mattered was

could obtain complete control of the Miller family

the Miller family will never harbor

was filled with a