The Million-Dollar Heart

The man's face turned a bright shade of crimson as the slap landed, swelling almost immediately. He took a step back, too afraid to utter a word, though his mind raced with thoughts of protest. He'd roughed up Vivienne more than once recently, but wasn't that all at her command? Yet, he dared not voice this question.

The woman fixed her gaze on the wine glass in her hand, her voice raspy, "She's my trump card!"

He wanted to ask, but then the woman in red turned sharply, her voice cold, "Tell Samantha she has one more month. If she doesn't crack the secret to the elixir of life, she can consider herself dead!" The man was at a loss. He couldn't fathom why Abigail would invest so much in Samantha's research instead of simply taking what Vivienne already had. But he held his tongue and simply nodded before walking away. At the door, something struck him, and he turned back, "What about Harrison?"

"Don't worry about him. His schemes have already come to light. Vivienne is using him to force my hand."

With nothing more to say, the man left. After his departure, the woman moved to the window, her thoughts as distant as the horizon.

him, Gavin's normally composed face was etched with concern. The middle-aged man tapped the desk rhythmically, breaking the silence, "Gavin, if only you had foreseen this. Why did you insist on

"Asher, you were the one who ordered us to ensure Kaitlyn and

no guilt, only righteousness, "I wanted you to put pressure on Kaitlyn and Vivienne, not to bungle things up. Now, with Vivienne gaining the upper hand, you still pushed forward recklessly." "Idiots, all of you. Now, I have to clean

and though the immediate danger had passed, his frustration lingered. Noticing Gavin's discontent yet silent demeanor, Asher

we can just let Kipling take the fall? He knows too much. If he ends up in prison, it could

have you forgotten that we thrive under the

was horrified, "You can't mean to kill Kipling!

son-in-law's brother is a police chief, isn't he? Let him

Harrison, "If he loses the lawsuit with Vivienne, we can frame him for Kipling's death. If

help but be swayed by Asher's plan. "Alright, Asher. I'll make the call to Harrison.

Despite his outward compliance,

plotting, seeing