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 heard a loud

Vivienne was up, the eight still out cold would

little trick like that

Finnian was too fast.

Vivienne said with a vengeful tone before slipping her arm through

sighed, "After all that, I can't sleep. Mr. Wolf, let's have a

him. Holding out a glass, she stretched out her leg and hooked Percival's, her lips glistening in the dim light, enticing beyond words. "Mr. Wolf, do you want me to sit in your lap

loosened 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

glass fell and shattered, and Vivienne found herself pinned

of flirtation, only threat and

who the hell

eyes quickly lost their luster, like a light suddenly snuffed

realized the truth

It was a robot!

real person, even mimicking Vivienne's tone of voice? Then the robot's mouth opened, and a scroll fell that read, [Congratulations, you've passed the second trial. This is your reward.] Holding the scroll in his hand, Percival

another

a test of

naturally desired. If he felt

the faux Vivienne to her bedroom,

indeed strong; even Vivienne had

seemed his immunity was part

himself in Vivienne's room, leaning against the robot double,

a mansion somewhere in Rivenwood, Finnian relaxed on a sun lounger while a

steady nerves. Looks like he knew from the start that the Vivienne replica was not the real deal."

was time to think

in a silent

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