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.

that with her modest skills, even if Flynn were bound hand and foot,

"Where's F-Poison? Dead or alive?

"Is anyone there?

won't say a word?" Diana's

visit to Flynn was a channel for him

time, Flynn remained

"I said, show

Dracon promptly followed, not bothering

off the video, his deep-set eyes reflecting a glint of

Diana trying to clear

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

caressing Vivienne's cheek

finished bracelet design

it's way better than

off to Draven with orders to have it completed

contained two exquisite jade bracelets

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

attend were

received a generous gift from the Perez family at a previous banquet and eager to renew his chess rivalry with Jasper. Cecilia and

business, never short on conversation. When Vivienne and Percival arrived, they coincidentally ran into Diana and Dracon getting out of their

coolly before turning to go inside,

Diana feigned closeness with Vivienne,

her petty ploy, merely curling her lips in response without