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.

chose to ignore them and pulled out a beer from seemingly nowhere. "Relax, with Vivienne in there,

flickered.

know, then why are you still

the operating room, Vivienne 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.

she had first been brought in, he thought Vivienne

that she was Percival's aunt, he was somewhat

hollowed from malnutrition and unconsciousness, he could see the resemblance to

would be reduced to this," he clicked his tongue. "You sure

should have been long gone. Her survival till now was nothing short of a miracle.

wasn't sure he could

she replied, "It'll

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

After the final suture, she finally breathed a sigh of relief, put all the tools back on the tray, and removed her mask. "I'm no miracle worker. The equipment in Room 3 is top-notch; I've

morning, someone will come to take care of her. What you need to do is monitor

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

"How did it go?"

who had returned from outside, along

"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

front of the others, Vivienne squeezed Percival's hand to reassure him, "She needs time to heal and further treatment

of Percival's palm warmed under

Vivienne, his expression softening with tenderness that Leopold and

"Anna's been calling me non-stop. If we don't get back soon, I think Mrs. Littleton is going to

Vivienne nodded. "Let's go."