The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

On the other side.

Vivienne and Logan were led to a secluded backyard behind the villa.

The yard, much like the villa, bore the charm of rustic architecture.

Once they were left alone, Logan set down his medical bag and turned to Vivienne, anxiety etched on his face, "Ms...." But he was silenced by a sharp look from Vivienne.

Logan glanced around. Despite the quietness of the villa's backyard and the lack of visible onlookers, he couldn't shake the feeling of being watched.

Changing his approach, Logan said, "We must be exhausted. Let's rest for today. Tomorrow, you can sort through the herbs we need, and I'll prepare a medicinal bath." As he spoke, Vivienne pulled out her smartphone, which swiftly transformed into a miniputer. Her fingers danced over it rapidly. Moments later, she tucked the device away.

Logan gestured to his mouth, waiting for Vivienne's nod before speaking again, “Ms. Vivienne, did they plant surveillance in our room?" Vivienne nodded, "It's taken care of." She had just manipulated the surveillance feed, ensuring their watchers saw a fabricated image instead of their real actions. Relieved, Logan then broached another subject, "Was that Mr. Ellington earlier? He's the spitting image of Mr. Ellington!" It was hard to believe that two people could look so alike without being the sperson.

Vivienne's eyes narrowed slightly before she confirmed, "Yes." It was Percival! Even in silence, she could recognize him anywhere - her Percival.

Logan gasped, "It really was Mr. Ellington? But how could he be involved with those using poison? I thought such abilities required exposure from a young age. If he is Mr. Ellington, how does that fit?" He trusted Vivienne. If she said Sebastian was Percival, it had to be true. But the mystery of Percival's condition puzzled him. Vivienne's tone was icy as she replied, "That's for him to explain." At 3 a.m., when the village was steeped in silence, Vivienne abruptly woke to find a figure standing by her bed. She simply looked at him and leaned back against her pillows, "Decided to show up, huh?" The man sighed softly, "You shouldn't havee." Moonlight streamed into the room, illuminating the man's features.

It was Sebastian. Or rather, Percival.

"If I hadn'te, how long were you planning to hide?" Vivienne's voice was calm yet cutting.

Percival bit his lip, "Vivienne, it's dangerous here.” Hearing noises, Logan from the next room cin. Without turning on the light, he could see the man by Vivienne's bed was the village leader's son they had met earlier, Sebastian.

After a moment's hesitation, Logan asked, "Mr. Ellington, is it really you?" The presence of Percival, concerned for Vivienne's safety, confirmed Logan's suspicions.

"Yes," Percival murmured.

Logan barely contained his excitement, considering their precarious situation, "Mr. Ellington, what is going on? Why are you here? And how did you be... like this?" Percival turned to Vivienne instead of answering Logan.

After a moment of silentmunication between them, Percival explained, "After our child was born, and you were recovering, I didn't want to burden you further. I started investigating Abigail's confidant on my own." His eyes softened as he looked at Vivienne, "I wanted to secure a safe future for you and our child." "So, you found Luck Village?" Vivienne asked after a pause.

Percival nodded, "Yes. I uncovered that Abigail had an adopted son, fiercely loyal to her, who operated in the shadows as her ace. Luck Village was his stronghold." "On the surface, Luck Village seems decrepit, but in reality, it's a nightmare." Vivienne raised her eyebrows, "How so?" "They conshuman flesh," Percival stated coldly.

Logan was shocked, "What? Cannibalism? How is that possible?" Despite his broad experience, Logan had never encountered anything so grotesque.

"Are the authorities not aware?" Percival explained, "They practice dark arts, using cannibalism to enhance their abilities. They're secretive, only abducting a few victims each month. They target the vulnerable homeless, runaways, anyone they can get. They're indiscriminate, preying on people nationwide, making it difficult for anyone to catch on to their operations." en.kikistories "The plane crash was no accident; it was a meticulously orchestrated attempt on my life, a twisted form of retribution for Abigail's death. They also sought fresh prey in the chaos. Unbeknownst to them, I had already uncovered their sinister plot, thanks to the mayor of Luck Village's son, my doppelganger, notorious for his deadly schemes. I was steps ahead, aware of their moves before they even made them. The passengers aboard that flight weren't ordinary civilians; they were the nation's elite soldiers, disguised and ready for any oue." en.kikistories "Their initial plan was to blow the plane at a lower altitude, but we outsmarted them. We tampered with the bomb, evacuating everyone safely before detonating it mid-air, along with a decoy of my 'body to throw them off our scent. This unexpected twist in their plan forced them into silence, buying us a two-month respite from their vendetta." en.kikistories As he shared this with Vivienne, he could see the disbelief in her eyes. "I know, seeing that body must have been a shock, but you of all people should know it wasn't me." Because it was one of Vivienne's latest creations: a lifelike replica designed to deceive the world, yet incapable of fooling her.

Vivienne had been tirelessly traveling across the country, challenging Gideon's influence and power, all to protect Abigail's foster son from their clutches.

Her brilliance was unparalleled; she had discovered the existence of Luck Village long before any confrontation, biding him tand strategizing their next move in silence.

He didn't need to say a word; she always knew his thoughts, his intentions, as if she could see right through him.