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.

with her modest

Dead or alive? What did

"Is anyone there? Show these guests

word?" Diana's eyes narrowed

every visit to Flynn was a channel for him

this time, Flynn remained

hardened. "I

Diana stormed out, and Dracon promptly followed, not bothering

video, his deep-set

trying to clear

the design of a bracelet and set down her pen.

thoughts, caressing Vivienne's cheek

to the finished bracelet design and asked Percival,

nodded. "Yeah, it's way better than

laughed, sending the design off to Draven with orders to have it completed before Natalia's and

the celebration, Vivienne's gift boxes contained two exquisite

family did not have many kins in Rivenwood, and they kept their business

who did attend were all movers and

appearance, having received a generous gift from the Perez family at a previous banquet 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

Vivienne and Percival arrived, they coincidentally ran into Diana and Dracon getting out of their car. Diana greeted Vivienne with warmth, linking arms. "Vivienne, what a coincidence! Let's head

go inside, with Dracon and Percival trailing behind

brought Vivienne with me." Diana feigned closeness with Vivienne, hoping to prove her innocence regarding

ploy, merely curling her