The Million-Dollar Heart

After leaving the Brooks Mansion, Vivienne and Percival had hopped aboard a private jet and touched down in M State.

Stepping off the jet, they were met by a line of Percival's men, clad in black suits, standing rigid like soldiers. It was an impressive sight.

"Mr. Wolf, seems like you've carved out quite the kingdom for yourself here," Vivienne said, her eyes crinkling with a teasing allure.

She knew her Mr. Wolf had more than one identity-there was the public one as the head honcho of Vanguard Agency, and then there was the private one, Mr. Percy, whose depths she hadn't plumbed. Looking at the reception they got, it was clear Mr. Wolf was a big fish in this area.

How much dough was he stashing on the side?

Percival looked at her fondly and playfully tapped her nose. "This is my turf."

As if reading her thoughts about his secret stash, he chuckled softly. "There's no secret fund. All the income from here is being accounted for. I'm going to hand it all over to you in due time."

"Not bad! You're on the ball," Vivienne replied, clearly pleased.

Her three uncles trailed behind, cringing at the display. They were here for a rescue, not to witness this lovey-dovey nonsense!

They settled into the lavish accommodations arranged for them, places that outshone even the grandeur of the Ellington and Perez family estates. Hardly had they sat down when someone came in with news: three men had been spotted down at SouthMine.

Maddox, Fredrick, and Yuri, eager to get to South Mine and pull off the rescue, were bewildered to find Vivienne and Percival still lounging, sipping water without a hint of urgency.

"Aren't we going to move? Shouldn't we rush to save them?" they asked, baffled by the couple's nonchalance.

Percival explained, "My people have got them covered. They won't let anything major happen."

Vivienne set down her teacup, shadows flickering in her eyes. "If they went through all this trouble to lure us here, why not play along?"

doing-he didn't want her to find Carl and prevent him from seeking revenge. But as they were about to be escorted back by Percival's men,

doing or someone else's

had come personally to see what grand scheme had drawn them to M

the first to catch on. Before he could finish, Vivienne nodded in

if you

the three uncles over this

caught up discussing things on the plane, and it

and Yuri exchanged looks

this couldn't

had to be that Percival's influence was

was trouble, it was surely Percival's fault, not their

nodded

day of Percival being

Meanwhile, down in SouthMine...

longer," Carl said after a full day, hungry and thirsty, unable

a way out, we're

waiting. Vivienne must be tied up with something, or this place is

him with a solo mission,

Emerald

so much as a chance to fight back. The identity of those behind the kidnapping was still a mystery, and the

their strength waning after a day without food, they were at their limit. If they waited any longer, they might as well sign

in determination as he stood. "The priority is finding a