The Million-Dollar Heart

William pondered for a moment before speaking up, "It was about two weeks before the boss took her own life. She sent it to me over the local network; it was a burn-after-reading kind of deal, leaving only this file with instructions to keep it safe, saying it would come in handy later. Then she just vanished without a trace."

"It was the same for me. The boss made me promise not to let these secrets out," Zachary also chimed in.

Vivienne's brow furrowed with concern. It would come in handy later?

How so?

Her mother was dead. What good could it possibly do now?

"Master, could this be... bionic technology?" William ventured to ask.

Vivienne nodded. "Yes, that's exactly what I'm entrusting to you. I've consolidated all the Ashford and Boyd family resources, and the labs are all set up, but I don't have the time to manage them. I'm hoping you can handle it. Will that work for you?"

"Of course, it's perfect," William replied, his voice tinged with excitement. "Master, aside from my work in holistic medicine, I've been relying on this document from the boss to research bionics. I always felt something was missing, but now that you've brought this to us, it's all starting to make sense."

Zachary nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I've always wondered what the boss meant by it might come in handy. Turns out she was waiting for you to come to us, Madam."

Vivienne's lips curved into a slight smile.

Waiting for her to come to them? Did her mother have the same capabilities as her mentor, to know the future?

How could her mother be so sure that she would come?

A myriad of questions flickered through Vivienne's mind, slowly shaping into a theory.

"You guys can handle the Havenwood and Rivenwood affairs. Patrick has been making progress with the bionics project over the years, but he never quite cracked it. Keep pushing in that direction, and you're bound to see results soon."

After giving her instructions, Vivienne stood up. "If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask me."

final words, she left

the

settled, Vivienne made her way to the underground prison where Patrick

stint with the DEA, Patrick had

and shivering in his water cell, Patrick was a

from him, studying his pale

manufacturing and trafficking drugs, stealing

every act was a betrayal that

of her approach, Patrick struggled weakly and managed to gasp, "Madam... I know I was wrong. Please, let me go." Vivienne's eyes narrowed as

binding him clanking. "I don't know. I've never met him. We've only ever communicated

F-Poison, yet you

me and offered me a lot. They said I could make a fortune if I followed them. I was desperate for

the fury in her grip as he struggled for

was wrong... Madam... I was wrong. Please, I beg you, let me go. I know I made

her grip, her anger making her want to twist his neck right off.

he thought he was truly going

meet a girl from GTO. She's the only one I've ever met." Patrick hastily

loyalty meant nothing

gaze sharpened, "Did F-Poison ever ask you for the bionics

only functions for ten seconds in front of people before

deepest connection was

finances for years. With a swift

in her car, Vivienne could not shake the

matter what, she could not have escaped from

had "exploded" before them, leaving nothing behind, was not a person at all-it was a biorobot created by Imogen using