The Million-Dollar Heart

Willa handed the elderly man with snow-white hair a piece of paper. "So, about Fl... that Veridian man, the one who's crazy about plants?"

The old man composed himself. "Since that incident, Flynn hasn't visited much. He lost his usual cheerfulness; Elliot's death hit him hard. Later, he chose to stay on campus and even found himself a stunning girlfriend. With her support, he gradually recovered. He went back to Veridia a while back and stopped by to thank me for looking after him. After that, I lost touch with him."

And later, of course, he ended up in prison, tormented day after day, never to find peace again.

Willa's gaze hardened as she asked, "All these years, do you still visit Elliot's memorial when you remember him?"

The old man nodded and then shook his head. "Not exactly. After Elliot passed away, I moved into his dorm room. I kept all his belongings, thinking I'd return them to his parents. But some things couldn't be taken, so I left them as they were."

A glimmer shone in Willa's eyes. "Can you take me to see his room?"

The old man seemed to have not spoken about these memories for a long time and agreed readily, "Sure, let's go."

The dorm was a two-bedroom with a living area. The old man lived in the right room, while the sunlit room on the left belonged to F-Poison.

Willa pushed the door open and entered. The room was tidy, preserved in the style of many years ago.

It was clear the old man held this place dear.

"May I have a moment alone here?" Willa asked.

The old man nodded, "Of course. But may I ask, who was Elliot to you?"

Willa pressed her lips, "He was my father."

The old man paused in surprise. "I thought there was something of him in you. I guessed right then. Child, take your time to remember your father."

Willa thanked him and then closed the door behind her.

Remember?

Impossible.

small yet comfortable room,

warm here. Even without airing out the bedding, it

probably the closest she'd ever been to her biological father since

Willa had been envious watching Sasha bounce on Jasper's bed, calling for him to wake up. But fearing her godfather's displeasure at overstepping, she could only watch secretly. Later, as Diana grew older, she joined Sasha in the

watched from

bounds. Even though the Perez family treated her very well, as one of their own, she knew she had to be aware of her place. She couldn't take their kindness for granted or use it as an

her adoptive family to repay them in

on F-Poison's bed, she felt no special connection. Nothing like the joy Sasha or

opened it to find a few simple, outdated pieces of clothing. Looking further, she found a box with more personal garments, but nothing out of the

desk and opened a drawer. Inside were a few textbooks and notebooks filled with

all seemed too

with technical jargon Willa couldn't understand, she took photos

desk and

down, Willa found

line took her

on the ST-0

foreign notes beyond Willa's comprehension. But she knew this could well be

sent them to Karen,

to the old man, Willa set

phone, Karen asked, "Willa, did you find anything else,

there's nothing about ST-0 in the lesson plans or anything. If I hadn't noticed the gap above the desk and found the