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

eyes flickered.

a sigh, thinking, "If you know, then why are you still sitting here like

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. Brody glanced

in, he thought Vivienne and the others had

Percival's aunt, he was

yet with cheeks hollowed from malnutrition and unconsciousness, he

see the day when the Ellington family heiress would be reduced to

should have been long gone. Her survival till now was nothing short of a miracle. If Vivienne hadn't brought her back from that remote village

sure he

as she replied, "It'll take some effort,

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

only sounds in the room were the ticking of the surgical

stitching up Holly's incision. 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.

of the surgery on Holly and, after scrubbing her hands, opened a sterile passageway. "Tomorrow morning, someone will come to take care of

to me," Brody assured, pushing the gurney through the passageway. He preferred experiments, but looking after a patient was well within his capabilities. Plus, he

"How did it go?"

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

surgery was a success, and Aunt Holly's condition is stable. Now, it's all

to reassure him, "She needs time to heal and further treatment later. Right now, our

coolness of Percival's palm warmed under

that Leopold and the other bachelors couldn't quite understand. Matthew spoke up, "Vivienne, shall we head

get back soon, I think Mrs.

Vivienne nodded. "Let's go."