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

and I won't ask you to compromise for personal reasons again, not when it concerns

with distinction; he saw the

voice firm. "I've taken care of it. Follow

headed to the family's ancestral chapel, only to be greeted by a pungent smell of blood. Inside, rather than finding Hailey, they discovered a

happened here?"

could be a target of a national manhunt, but this act

her

Abigail's special abilities; Yorick had been deceived by

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

nodded, her resolve

might still catch

held him back. "Remember what Abigail said

Vivienne realized, an eerie

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

far. Her end is in a government

This enemy, he declared, must not be allowed to

for the troubled Wright estate, now

they were struck by the eerie stillness

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

attire, a flicker of unease passing through her. "Where's

assured,

unfazed, "What have you