The Million-Dollar Heart

Whitford's face twisted in agony as he crumbled to the floor of the cramped cell, his cries reverberating against the cold, grey walls.

Vivienne and Percival barely had time to register what had happened when the guards rushed in. They surveyed the bent iron bars with confusion etched on their faces. "Odd, the energy scan showed he wasn't this powerful. How'd he manage to warp reinforced steel like that?"

Vivienne's ears perked up. "Energy scan?"

You've got to be kidding me! How do you even measure such an intangible thing?

But the guards were dead serious. "The device was sent specifically from the top brass. Developed by some tech whiz, I don't get the science behind it, but the tech guy assured us Whitford wasn't a threat." Yet Whitford had just bent the bars. That meant either the device was a fake, or the technician in charge was a mole from the ancient warrior lineage, planted to monitor any prisoners of their kind! The couple realized this at the same moment.

Without hesitation, Vivienne pushed past the guards and strode into the cell. She fished out a pill from her pocket, pried Whitford's mouth open, and shoved it down his throat. Her movements were so smooth that Whitford had swallowed the pill before the guards could react.

One of them grabbed Vivienne's wrist. "What did you give him?!"

"Xiomara!"

"Vivienne!"

authorized to use any

until the male guard showed his impatience that she finally let go, "But you can't just shove anything down a prisoner's throat,

"Sweetheart, how old are you? Didn't your

than Vivienne, flushed in embarrassment and anger at

I don't care what other plans your ancient warrior

hell are you?!" Whitford glared, his voice trembling as much as his

was relentless, amplified by whatever Vivienne had slipped into the pill. It kept him in a state of

at him, her gaze cold and menacing. "I'm

The room fell silent.

thought she was

this fierce woman was and why she

was always one for

such a delicate-looking woman to speak with such venom. It took another wave of crippling pain

pale to purple to black as he

and despite the torment, he conceded. "Fine... I'll testify for you...

and before she could ask, Percival

as she nodded.

kept his eyes on the road ahead. "There's no question of doability. If you want to do it, you do it. I'm with you all the

the head of Public Relations and a former member of their ranks, he might have some insight into the Grimshaw family's influence." Vivienne, her chin resting on her hand, suddenly remembered

text is bound to be

to deal with the pressing matter of Kaitlyn and the Grimshaw family, who were causing trouble even after obtaining the secret