The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Scott had mulled over the idea of bringing Brody into the fold more than once, but the folks he had sent

out to extend the olive branch had all met untimely ends, and a few had even vanished without a trace,

their bones yet to be found.

Those in the know about Brody understood one thing clearly: He was not beholden to any organization.

It all hinged on whether he was interested, and no one could force his hand to save or snuff a life.

Calista sucked in a sharp breath, the memory of Brody’s brutal methods during her treatment sending a

shiver down her spine.

Scott exhaled slowly. “You should head back. Get the job done as soon as you can. Once you’re back

with the Brooks family, don’t breathe a word of seeing me. You know what’s at stake.”

“Yes, I understand.” Calista quickly rose, snatching her purse and scurrying out the door.

The room lapsed into a moment of silence as Scott leaned back on the couch, a frown creasing his

forehead.

He had overplayed his cards this time.

Vivienne had played him like a fiddle.

The lab had been a pet project of the boss, meticulously overseen to completion. Neither sensor

probes nor thermal imagers could detect an exit.

Vivienne had been calm, deliberately cryptic.

And with his cover blown, he had mistakenly thought the lab’s location had been compromised.

To think he had actually led Vivienne and Percival straight to the lab.

What a blunder.

Scott chuckled wryly, a shade of melancholy crossing his face as he murmured, “As expected from

your daughter, Karen.”

At Percival’s private clinic, Vivienne treated two children whose lives had been hung by a thread.

Thankfully, they were regaining vitality, and their hearts were beginning to regenerate.

With close observation over the next few days, they could be discharged.

The children’s parents had been located and were en route.

“It’s wild. I can’t tell these kids are twins. Aren’t twins supposed to be spitting images of each other?”

Leopold peered through the glass of the incubator at the two infants.

Vivienne playfully smacked his head. “Ever heard of fraternal twins?”

Leopold rubbed the back of his head. “Vivienne, you must’ve struck me dumb.

“No, you’re just plain dumb,” A man and a woman said in unison.

Leopold, taken aback, eyed the pair—Vivienne and the unwilling-to-admit-it Percival. “Alright, a duet

you two make.”

“We’re just in sync,” Percival said, his arm around Vivienne’s waist. She looked every bit the intelligent

beauty in her white lab coat, her hair pinned up in a bun, loose strands framing her face.

She was a sight to behold. His wife was beautiful in every way.

Just then, Thomas approached. “Percival, the kids’ parents have arrived.”

“Yasmine, Natalia.”

A sobbing female voice echoed from behind Thomas.

Looking over, Vivienne saw a woman in her mid-thirties, dressed simply yet in fine fabric.

“Zelda, keep it together. We need to be sure first.”

Behind the woman stood a man in a suit, none other than Yuri Perez, the fourth son of the old man

Jasper, who had recently bought the plagiarized painting at the gallery.

“You must be Vivienne, hello. I’m Yuri, and we’re the children’s parents,” Yuri said as he supported

Zelda, politeness in his eyes despite the evident anxiety.

Vivienne nodded. “Yes, the children are here. Have a look, but they can’t leave just yet. They need

more treatment.”

Vivienne stepped aside to let Yuri and Zelda see their children.

She held onto a medical report she had not yet passed on. Revealing their suffering to their mother

seemed too cruel.

Vivienne could not bear to see a mother’s tears.

“Yasmine, Natalia, I’m so sorry. It’s all my fault.” Zelda’s tears streamed down the glass as she

collapsed against it.

Yuri, quick to react, caught her. “Zelda, it’s not your fault. Please, don’t cry.”

Vivienne and Percival quietly left the family to their moment, relieved that the children’s condition was

stable and no longer required her constant attention.

Outside the hospital, Percival’s expression was serious. Vivienne sensed his mood. “What’s on your

mind?”

“I feel like I’ve seen that Yuri somewhere before. He looks familiar.”

Vivienne paused. “I thought I was the only one.”

Indeed, the first time she laid eyes on Yuri, she felt as if she had known him long ago, and there was a

peculiar familiarity.

As they pondered this, someone called out Vivienne’s name from behind. It was Yuri.

“Sorry for shouting your name, Vivienne. You didn’t respond, so I…” Yuri said apologetically, then

asked, “May I inquire about my daughters’ condition in more detail?”

Vivienne was stunned. She had planned to discuss the situation with Yuri the next day to give him time

to digest the news, but here he was, seeking answers.

Yuri, noticing her hesitation, gave a rueful smile. “They must’ve suffered. I can’t be oblivious as their

father.”

Seeing Percival and Vivienne holding hands, Yuri said awkwardly, “Erm, I’m not disturbing your date,

am I?”

“What do you think?” Percival thought but remained silent.

Vivienne handed over the medical report and explained the situation briefly. “I’ll check on them every

three days. With me here, there’s no need to worry.”

A breeze tousled Vivienne’s hair, and the clip came loose. Her locks fell across her face.

Yuri’s eyes lingered for an instant, a fleeting warmth in his gaze.

Percival tightened his embrace around Vivienne, his tone sharp. “Mr. Perez, is there anything else?”

Yuri snapped back to reality. “I’m sorry for interrupting your date, and thank you once again. Here’s my

business card. If you need anything, give me a call anytime.” He extended a small card towards them.

Percival did not take it, but Vivienne reached out with a smile and accepted the card.

It was minimalist, with just a name and a phone number, no company name, and no address.

“Got it. See you in three days,” Vivienne said, her voice light, a hint of intrigue in her smile.

Arm in arm, she and Percival strolled away.Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for

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Yuri watched their retreating figures until they were out of sight.

The resemblance was uncanny. For a fleeting moment, she had looked so much like his sister.

Yuri clenched his fist. His sister had been only ten when she vanished, but seeing Vivienne just now, he

could almost picture his sister all grown up.

Especially that line, ” With me here, there’s no need to worry .”

He remembered, as a kid, whenever he and his brothers got into trouble, his little sister would stand in

front of them and say, “With me here, there’s no need to worry .”

Yuri felt a moisture in his eyes.

“Vivienne, Percival, what, if any, connection do you have to my sister?” He thought.

He had dug through Vivienne’s records at least a dozen times, but not a single piece of information

confirmed her identity, and the woman in the portrait offered no clues at all.

Yuri was unsure if someone was deliberately concealing Vivienne’s past or if she really was that much

of a ghost.

But one thing was clear to Yuri. He had a gut feeling that Vivienne was the key to finding his lost sister.