Patrick's limbs were beyond his control, his body betraying him as he followed Vivienne's retreating steps.
Behind him, Gillian's heart-wrenching cries for her father echoed through the air, but he was powerless to respond. Patrick finally felt the command of his body returned when they reached a secluded cabin on the ship.
But now, with both Percival and Anna guarding the door, escape was an impossibility.
"Kneel," Vivienne commanded, her voice serene as she sat on the seat representing authority.
Patrick fell to his knees with a thud, not out of compulsion but from the sheer force of Vivienne's presence.
His legs tingled with numbness, sharp pains shooting through his knees as if a thousand needles were pricking them.
Beads of sweat formed on his brow, trickling down his temples and disappearing onto his shoulders.
Vivienne sat with her legs crossed, her slender neck held high with disdain, a hint of scorn in her gaze.
As Patrick knelt, Vivienne wondered what her mother had seen in him. How could such a spineless man be entrusted with the critical technology of bionics?
She regarded him with contempt and curiosity, slowly pulling the small "Morning Glory" from her pocket and tossing it at Patrick.
Instinctively, he caught it, his forehead bulging with veins, paralyzed with fear.
When he saw what it was, he finally heaved a sigh of relief.
He had thought she had thrown a knife at him!
"Madam, what is this?" he stammered.
Vivienne raised an eyebrow, her voice calm. "A miniature bomb."
Shocked to his core, Patrick scrambled behind the couch for cover.
it was even worse
mind tosses a bomb around like
be certain of his innocence regarding the bomb
she stated, her legs shifting position
your presence on the ship,
know," Vivienne murmured absentmindedly,
rise, "Could this be connected
she looked at him. "You
I cut all ties with the Boyd family. But for the sake of the bionic tech, I could not completely sever
head wanted to drop off a
then a signal beeped in her earpiece-it
The shipment had arrived.
phone buzzed with a message. He wanted to check it but could not do
yawned, her eyes
she
He knew Vivienne was not dozing off but contemplating his
the bomb had touched a nerve, and his pale excuses and
his phone continued to vibrate in
had arrived,
Why bother messaging him?
Thomas had secured the docks, sealing off all incoming shipments and detaining the dockworkers. "Percival, we
drug on the black market, identical to flour and
brow furrowed.
glance with Leopold before revealing an
"Three tons."
Anna gasped. "How much?"
"Three tons," Thomas repeated.
profit enough to buy a small
had not imagined it would be this
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