The Million-Dollar Heart

Jerry weighed the possibility, a hint of gloom in his voice, "If that's the case, we're in for some trouble. Let's not even mention that the harassment case is several years old now. But at present, they're insisting that the girl committed suicide because of severe depression, and encountering Julian just pushed him over the edge. We have no way to verify that."

"Who says we can't?" Vivienne, acting on the information Matthew had dug up earlier, stepped into the elevator, "Just wait for my news. I'll fill you in later."

The moment the elevator doors closed with a ding, she promptly ended the call.

Percival watched the floor numbers rise with a hint of concern in his eyes, "Vivienne, are you really sure that woman's daughter will help us?"

Vivienne: "I'm not sure."

Such honesty, and they were at a loss for words.

Sensing the chill in Vivienne's gaze, Percival cleared his throat, "So, are we here today just to fish for information?"

"Exactly."

The elevator dinged upon reaching the fifteenth floor.

Vivienne waited for the doors to fully open before stepping out.

Walking along the corridor towards the most secluded corner, they approached the VIP hospital room with the poorest lighting.

Through the glass door, they could see a girl in a hospital gown sitting on the pristine white bed, barely in her early twenties. Her face was devoid of color, skin stretched over bones as if she was merely a skeleton with a layer of flesh.

She didn't seem to care about her cracked, bleeding lips, her gaze lifelessly fixed outside the window.

Several birds perched on the glass, hopping around cheerfully and unafraid of humans.

birds fluttered

sharp eyes, noticed the bandages revealed as the girl stretched her

her wrist into her sleeve without a visible end, as if her

slightly, scanning the room, "Why is it so quiet? Didn't Zinnia claim she visits daily? It's past lunch,

a nurse or a family member. This area felt like

Percival noticed this

three times a day, like clockwork. Yet now, well past lunchtime, she was nowhere

off," Percival coldly

pushed open the

and Thomas followed closely as Cassidy

then saw the bandage wrapped around

strangers. Desolate as if

certain; this girl was indeed suffering from severe

pulling Percival to stop at a distance that would feel

was firm, and Cassidy didn't deny it. Her barely perceptible nod was like a dead tree's last sway, her eyes void of

here about the situation online. Your mother, accusing Julian

eyes flickered to life. Her pupils trembled, a pained expression crossing her face, and if one looked closely, they could see guilt and unease.

prepared for a

to be so forthcoming. Her

unspoken as she shifted

hospital gown.

loose on her, revealing layers of bandages beneath

question, "If you weren't harassed, then what caused your severe

I'm faking it?" Cassidy froze. After a few moments of bewilderment, she expressed her disbelief, "Why? That woman, she thought I was pretending. Why do you believe me?" Vivienne shrugged,

was true, wasn't that

since Vivienne boldly declared herself a genius in front