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.

the birds fluttered away in

sharp eyes, noticed the bandages revealed as the girl

sleeve without a visible end, as if her entire arm was

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

least to have some activity, be it a nurse or a family member. This area felt like a forgotten corner of the world, devoid of life. If not

and Percival

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

Percival

pushed open the

and Thomas followed closely as Cassidy turned

then saw the bandage wrapped around her

showed no surprise or panic at the sight of strangers. Desolate as

moment, Vivienne was certain; this girl

gently pulling Percival to stop at a distance that would feel safe to

Her barely perceptible nod was like a dead tree's last sway, her eyes void of

about the situation online. Your mother, accusing Julian of harassment,

and if one looked closely, they could see guilt and

prepared for

Cassidy to

stayed unspoken as she shifted her gaze from

her hospital

revealing layers of bandages beneath with any

her question, "If you

think 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

was true, wasn't that a bit too

ever since Vivienne boldly declared herself a genius in front of