The Million-Dollar Heart

The midday sun streamed through the windows, casting a warm glow on the scattered rose petals that hadn't been cleaned up yet. Vivienne walked through, feeling a rare moment of serene beauty in the chaos.

After finishing a meal that was too late for breakfast and too early for lunch, Vivienne's phone, silent throughout the morning, finally rang.

Draven was brief. "Miss, there's movement at the Wright estate."

"Keep an eye on them," Vivienne instructed.

Percival cleared the dishes and took off his apron. "Heading to the Wrights?"

"Back to the Linklaters first," Vivienne's eyes narrowed slightly in thought.

Upon their arrival at the Linklater mansion, only Yorick was present in the grand hall.

Seeing Vivienne and Percival, Yorick's face broke into a smile. "Ah, Vivienne, Percival, come in, sit down."

"Grandfather!" they exclaimed in unison.

Yorick nodded, smiling warmly. "Your parents are out, scouting new venues for the wedding."

Vivienne cut straight to the chase. "Grandpa, that's not why I'm here today."

Yorick's expression sobered, perhaps guessing the reason. "Vivienne, I looked into what you told me, but just because she's been abroad for decades doesn't necessarily mean she's..."

Vivienne understood the dilemma; with age, familial bonds often deepen, complicating matters.

"All that matters," she said, "is whether she is or isn't the person in question, it doesn't absolve her of suspicion."

dedicated his life to serving the country, understood all too

last time for my sake, and I won't ask you

the Vanguard Agency with distinction; he saw the bigger

up, his voice firm. "I've taken

by a pungent smell of blood. Inside, rather than finding Hailey, they discovered a young servant on the floor, his chest a

happened here?"

sister could be a target of a

him, her voice hard. "Hailey

and Mr. Wolf knew of Abigail's special abilities; Yorick had been

looking grim, declared, "We must catch her. If she isn't the real Hailey,

her

the scene, suggested they might still catch Abigail if

Vivienne held him back. "Remember what Abigail said yesterday, Mr. Wolf? This is

realized, an eerie motive that

outraged, vowed to protect Vivienne at all costs. "She dares to harm you, I'd give my last breath to stop

Vivienne reassured him, "she won't get far. Her end is

support. This enemy, he

left for the troubled Wright estate, now facing both internal strife and financial ruin under Matthew's

by the eerie stillness of the once-grand

white, greeted them. "Ms. Hawthorn, you've

Colin's unsettling attire, a flicker of unease passing through

face twitched slightly, "Ms. Hawthorn, rest assured, Winston is safe now. Nothing will happen

unfazed, "What have