The Million-Dollar Heart

Commander Blake stood firm in the dimly lit control room, his eyes glued to the surveillance footage, exuding an aura of deep contemplation. With a sense of urgency, he dialed the higher-ups once again. The call was promptly answered, and the woman on the other end was still fuming with anger.

Twirling a ring between his fingers, Commander Blake spoke with a gravitas that filled the room, "Your anger is misplaced. It's your people who slipped up. Had they been more careful, none of this would have come to light."

The woman, realizing her fault, forced herself to calm down.

"What's our next move?" Blake's tone carried a hint of displeasure. After all, the site in question was of significant importance to him, and it hadn't yet served its intended purpose.

"Shift whatever assets we can, and for those we can't, expedite their usage. I want the plan executed within a week."

Blake hummed in acknowledgment, the ring's edge revealing a sharp blade as he made a small cut on his finger, a single drop of blood emerging.

"If all else fails, we destroy the site," the woman added.

The thought of destruction sparked a predatory glint in Blake's eyes. He had no time for setbacks.

villa, Percival's strong hands closed the door behind him, plunging the interior into darkness, save for the moon's soft glow streaming through the windows. Vivienne, standing in the foyer, wrapped her arms around

kiss on the

sending both of them into a whirlwind

blush from Vivienne as a tingling sensation spread throughout

on the cold marble of a nearby console table. As the

Awakening later, Vivienne found

her skin bare against the cool sheets. Her cheeks flushed as she noticed the series of missed calls on her phone forty from Arthur, five from Maddox, and the rest from Draven and his associates. Draven, having failed to reach her by

between staying in bed and facing the day, Vivienne admired Percival's handsome features, a rare sight given he usually awoke first. Snuggling closer, she felt content, like

laughter rumbled beneath her, his toned abs a pleasant

Someone's closeness was just... distracting," Percival teased, his voice dropping suggestively at the end, causing Vivienne's cheeks to

a nightgown from his closet, her movements betraying her fluster as she

calls from Arthur. Not that she cared much for Arthur, but she owed it to her mother's expectations. Percival, emerging from the shower, offered to accompany her, but Vivienne, with a smirk, questioned if he

fearlessness as long as she was by his side, Percival acquiesced to her plan to investigate the northern village alone, promising to drop

Linklater home, Vivienne walked in to find Hailey and Dracon in the living room, supposedly engrossed in an opera. However, their