The Million-Dollar Heart

Diana locked eyes with Vesper and felt a sudden tightness in her chest. Guilt washed over her, and she quickly averted her gaze, scurrying back to her room.

Once inside, she realized she was drenched in a cold sweat, her fear palpable.

Then, the itch started. She scratched furiously, but it brought no relief. It felt as if a million tiny bugs were crawling over her skin.

Soon after, a bone-chilling cold enveloped her as if she had plunged into an icy cavern.

Outside, Vivienne withdrew her hand, her cheeks as cool and expressionless as a winter's dawn.

She had not outright killed Diana because something about the situation perplexed her. In this world, there was only one kind of poison that could elude her senses-Karen's poison. And yet, Diana had somehow managed to get her hands on it.

Vesper, too, pulled back in silence.

Though it was not time to strike a lethal blow, ensuring Diana suffered a little was within Vesper's means.

Feeling the cold grip of winter amid the height of summer certainly had a certain appeal.

"Vivienne, I will get to the bottom of this. Your suffering won't be in vain," Jasper said, his features etched with concern.

Even if he trusted Diana would not do such a thing, it did not mean the juice Vivienne had been served was not poisonous.

Vivienne would never lie, and Vesper would not have forced the poison out without good reason.

"Grandpa, don't worry about me, I'm fine." Vivienne's smile was a feeble attempt to ease his worry. She would handle this herself.

"Dad, let me help you back inside. Mr. Linklater was supposed to hey, where did Mr. Linklater go?" Yuri looked around, perplexed by Vesper's sudden disappearance. Vivienne turned, and sure enough, Vesper had vanished without a trace!

She had been unguarded last time, but this time, she was on high alert, and he still managed to slip away.

Jasper suddenly realized he had not heard Finnian's voice in a while. He turned around to find nothing but a grinning face carved onto an old banyan tree.

him one of these days!" Finnian

him. "Don't worry, Grandpa. I'll bring

purpose, she set off in pursuit. She had planted a tracker on Vesper, and now it was

when Vivienne reached the crossroads, she discovered the tracker had split, moving in different

that together, the locations spelled

[Frost, you're still green!]

punched the wall, creating a spiderweb

nowhere near as powerful as her mother

would catch

shadows, Finnian gasped in awe, turning to Vesper and saying, "You're done for. Your girl's fuming. You won't have a single day of peace." Vesper's lips curved in a smile, eyes twinkling as he looked at Finnian. "No worries. It's you who won't have a

Finnian that although Vivienne could not find Karen, she could certainly find

like

deepened. "Finnian, I learned from

She had more pressing matters to attend to-Diana had made contact with GTO, and there was

title stared back at him,

moment, he rose from his chair and made his way to

was a picture of surprise when he saw the papers in

do this?" Vance frowned, searching Percival's eyes for a hint

But there was none.

gaze was icy as he affirmed,

the resignation letter on the desk, Vance paced the

realize what you're doing? I know you have issues with me, and you're still sore over Leopold's case,

Percival,

in the field. He was the youngest deputy director with a limitless future, spared even after almost causing a scandal-all because

he wanted to

that was not madness,

clear in