The Million-Dollar Heart

The security camera footage was playing back the clandestine visit of Dracon and Diana to the high-security prison to see Flynn.

"Flynn, cut the crap and spill it - where's the F-Poison? And Sasha, what the hell happened back then?" Dracon's face was a mask of fury as he glared at Flynn. To an outsider, it might look like his own sister had been kidnapped.

Flynn regarded Diana and Dracon with a detached coolness. His icy gaze was tinged with a hint of mockery.

"Are you a Linklater?" Flynn asked, his voice frosty.

Dracon snorted. "Glad you know. You better cooperate, or you're in for a world of hurt!"

Flynn suddenly burst into laughter. "Oh, you must be Dracon Linklater, the family's black sheep. I always wondered what sort of failure Yorick could produce. Seeing you today, it's clear the rumors are true. Are you even his biological son?"

"What's that supposed to mean!" Dracon bristled. The last thing he wanted was to be compared to the other high-achieving Linklater kids.

Everyone knew the Linklaters did not tolerate dead weight, yet somehow, they ended up with Dracon.

From childhood, he lacked the talents of his brothers, and eventually, even his younger sister surpassed him. Left with no other choice, Yorick kept him close by.

Now, while the rest of the Linklaters shone in their respective fields, Dracon was still the quintessential adult child living at home, serving at his father's beck and call.

Flynn, lounging in his chair, idly picked at his ear. "You two are quite the pair - a washout and an adopted daughter, both outcasts."

A flash of anger crossed Diana's eyes. Flynn was trapped in his own little hell, tormented by sickness daily, yet he dared to mock her.

"Stop trying to stir the pot. I want to know if you're the one who tried to poison Vivienne and frame me for it. She drank juice I made by hand, and then she was poisoned. Luckily, someone noticed and saved her in time. Was it your doing?"

Flynn's facade cracked momentarily at Diana's words, but he quickly regained his composure.

With a sardonic smile, he replied, "I'm locked up in here, waiting on your schedules to grace me with a visit. Why would I frame you? Or was it your own botched attempt at murder, little Miss Incompetent?" "Flynn!" Diana was inches from charging in to throw punches.

she held back. She knew all too well that with her

Dead or alive? What

clearly bored. "Is anyone there? Show these guests

Diana's eyes

him to communicate with F-Poison, though it was all

this time,

"I said, show

and Dracon promptly

video, his deep-set eyes reflecting

trying to clear

the design of a bracelet and set down her pen. "Mr.

snapped out of his thoughts, caressing Vivienne's

but pointed to the finished bracelet design

nodded. "Yeah, it's way

sending the design off to Draven with orders

of the celebration, Vivienne's gift boxes contained two exquisite jade

many kins in Rivenwood, and they kept their business gatherings intimate, so the

attend were all

and eager to renew his chess rivalry with Jasper. Cecilia and Zelda sat together, earnestly discussing how to bake a cake despite their limited culinary

business, never short on conversation. When Vivienne and Percival arrived, they coincidentally ran into Diana

coolly before turning to go inside, with Dracon and Percival trailing behind

closeness with Vivienne, hoping to prove her innocence

merely curling her lips in response