The Million-Dollar Heart

Percival casually snapped off a twig and flicked away the power line in his path. Thankfully, he was in the garden; otherwise, he would have had to endure a jolt of electricity. But Finnian's test was not something to be taken lightly.

No sooner had Percival tossed aside the twig than a snake, tongue flickering, shot towards him along the branch.

That did it. Percival was livid. He grabbed the snake by its body and slammed it to the ground.

But as he did, something felt off.

Why was this snake so light?

Frowning, he glanced back at the pit he had passed and the discarded power line.

He decided to shut his eyes, ignoring anything else he might touch or sense.

Thirty seconds later, Percival reached the garden fence. With a firm kick, the fence collapsed. Only then did he open his eyes and turn to see that there was neither pit nor snake-just projections from a high- tech projector!

Finnian possessed the same kind of cutting-edge projector that Karen had been researching!

Percival's gaze sharpened, and some thoughts in his mind were now confirmed beyond doubt.

The only problem was the lack of evidence.

Stepping over the fallen fence, he approached the villa's main gate.

With the delay, Finnian was long gone.

Percival exhaled a sigh of resignation. When Vivienne woke up, she was going to be furious.

He would have to think of a way to sweet-talk her.

he was about to head back, he heard a loud noise

relieved. If Vivienne was up, the eight still out cold would get an earful, not

nodded. "A little trick like that won't fool me. Did you catch

Finnian was too fast. I couldn't

with a vengeful tone before slipping her arm through Percival's. "Mr.

the couch, half-sinking into it, and sighed, "After all that, I can't sleep. Mr. Wolf, let's have a drink." Standing

a glass, she stretched out her leg and hooked Percival's, her lips glistening in the dim light, enticing beyond

his tie, revealing an attractive Adam's apple, and rolled up his sleeves with a decisive motion. "Or maybe, drink lying down?" Vivienne was startled, but in the next instant, Percival had flicked her leg aside, and his elbow

and Vivienne found herself

of flirtation, only threat and

who the hell

blinked, and her eyes quickly lost their luster, like a light suddenly snuffed

realized the truth

It was a robot!

person, even mimicking Vivienne's tone of voice? Then the robot's mouth opened, and a scroll fell that read, [Congratulations,

this another of

a test of

he naturally desired. If he felt nothing for Vivienne, that would be a

to her bedroom, where the real Vivienne was still sound

strong; even Vivienne had succumbed to

immunity was part of this

in Vivienne's room, leaning against the

Rivenwood, Finnian relaxed on a sun

like he knew from the start that the Vivienne replica was not the real deal." Finnian nodded approvingly, pleased with Percival's performance in

to think about the

in a silent smile, seemingly privy to the previous

at the unfinished bionic robot in a nearby room. "Aren't you worried about sending this out? What if the girl