The Million-Dollar Heart

The moment Leopold spoke, the car fell into a silence that stretched for a full thirty seconds.

Vivienne looked up at Leopold with a hint of exasperation in her eyes. Her junior always had a knack for being clever at the most inconvenient times.

Some things, even if you know them, you just don't blurt out!

Realizing he might have put his foot in it, Leopold met Matthew's disapproving gaze and chuckled awkwardly, trying to change the subject. "So, what do we do now? Head over to the YQ Research Center first?"

Vivienne nodded. "Let's drop Holly off there first. She can't hold on much longer with just the meds I've been giving her. The lab's equipment is state-of-the-art, and with Brody there to help out, I can run some tests and stabilize her condition. Then, we need to focus all our efforts on dealing with the Abernathys!"

Neither Leopold nor Matthew objected to the plan.

Percival, who had regained his composure, gripped Vivienne's hand tightly, "Leave Gavin to me! I want to avenge Aunt Holly myself!"

YQ Research Center.

The soft blue floor lights flickered overhead. The roar of the rain and thunder was swallowed by the soundproof walls.

Behind the frosted glass doors, Percival and Leopold could only make out the vague silhouettes of two people inside.

"Hey, what's going on in there?" Enzo sidled up to Leopold, nudging his elbow.

The touch was met with an impatient brush-off, and Leopold held a finger to his lips, "Keep it down, will you? Come outside; I'll fill you in."

He cast a surreptitious glance at the stone-faced Percival and gestured for Enzo to follow him out of the lab.

out a beer from seemingly nowhere. "Relax, with Vivienne in

flickered.

know, then why are you still sitting

and Brody worked with grave intensity. "Hemostats." Vivienne let Brody wipe the sweat from her brow as she received the shiny forceps, her gloves stained with blood. Brody glanced more than once at the woman

thought Vivienne and the others had dug up a

was Percival's aunt, he was somewhat

up yet with cheeks hollowed from malnutrition and

see the day when the Ellington family heiress would be reduced to this," he clicked his tongue. "You sure

till now was nothing short of a miracle. If Vivienne hadn't brought her back from that remote village they mentioned, she probably wouldn't have

even he wasn't sure he could

blink as she replied,

looked at her in surprise. "Sometimes I really wonder just how advanced your medical skills are. Is there anyone in the world

in the room were the ticking of the surgical instruments and the slicing of

focusing instead on stitching up Holly's incision. After the final suture, she finally breathed a sigh of relief, put all the tools back on the

the aftermath of the surgery on Holly and, after scrubbing her hands, opened a sterile passageway. "Tomorrow morning, someone will come to take care of her. What you need to do is monitor all her vital signs. If anything unexpected happens, call me immediately. If you can't reach me, get

looking after a patient was well within his capabilities. Plus, he was

"How did it go?"

and Enzo, who had returned from outside, along with Matthew and Percival,

face held a gentle smile. "The surgery was a success, and Aunt Holly's condition is stable. Now, it's all about recovery. She hasn't been properly cared for in years, and

reassure him, "She needs

coolness of Percival's palm warmed under her

faint smile as he looked at Vivienne, his expression softening with tenderness that Leopold and the other bachelors couldn't quite understand. Matthew spoke up, "Vivienne, shall we

calling me non-stop. If we don't get back soon, I think Mrs. Littleton

Vivienne nodded. "Let's go."