The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

At the hotel, Aaron’s E-sports team was immersed in last-minute training before the big showdown.

Every face bore the same grim expression as if they were each carrying the weight of a debt of

millions.

“We’re team fighting! You blind?”

“You’re the one to talk! Baron got stolen!”

“Shut up, you two feeders! We’re underfarmed. Stop rushing into fights!”

“Can we all just focus, please? The tournament’s the day after tomorrow!”

The last to speak was Bennett, the team’s good-natured captain. He had not seen Vivienne at the

club’s meeting the other day.

“Shut up!” The three of them rounded on Bennett in unison.

Although Bennett was the captain, his authority paled in comparison to the team’s youngest member,

Aaron. His seniority was the only reason he held the title.

He sighed. The team’s recent losing streak had morale at rock bottom, and Kenneth’s taunts had only

added insult to injury.

He was relieved Aaron was not there; else, fists might have flown.

Aaron could not find humor in the quarrels inside.

These clashes were common, and their seven-game losing streak, a stark reversal from their previous

seven-win streak, was a tough pill for anyone to swallow.

With Aaron around, they managed to keep it together, but in his absence, tempers flared even hotter.

Vivienne frowned. She remembered when this team was a united force set on claiming the

championship. Now, it was a stark contrast.

“Vivienne…” Aaron bowed his head, too ashamed to look Vivienne in the eye.

With a loud bang, Vivienne kicked the door open.

Everyone jumped in their seats. Quentin, known for his hot temper, slammed his headset onto the

desk.

“Damn it, Kenneth, not again… Holy smokes, Vivienne!”

They all stood up, crowding around as they recognized Vivienne; their anger dissolved into thin air.

“Vivienne, we thought you weren’t coming.”

“Thank goodness, with you back, Vivienne, we’ve got a fighting chance!”

“With Vivienne and Aaron, we’ll definitely regain our honor!”

Bennett looked at Vivienne with a mix of excitement and speechlessness.

Aaron, too, was moved, his eyes shining like stars as he gazed at Vivienne.

But to their surprise, Vivienne’s face was stormy. “You call yourselves pro gamers with this kind of

behavior?”

Their smiles faded, and hope dimmed in their eyes. The room fell into an awkward silence, and even

Aaron was unsure what to say next.

Finally, Bennett spoke up. “Vivienne, everyone’s just really excited to see you.”

Vivienne raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Now you remember you’re supposed to lead this team?”

Bennett’s voice faded as he looked down, fiddling with his fingers. Despite being the oldest, he seemed

small under Vivienne’s scolding.

He knew all too well how he had failed as a captain.

What could he do if he was disrespected by his teammates, overlooked by management, and

dismissed by rival teams?

He was twenty-six and on the verge of retirement after the World Championships. Who would respect a

spent force on the brink of hanging up his mouse and keyboard?

Vivienne pulled up a chair. “Bennett, you’re the captain. You’re supposed to set the example and earn

their respect. But all you do is play peacemaker. How can anyone respect that?”

Bennett felt a wave of inferiority wash over him. “I… My skills are lacking. Naturally, they don’t listen to

me.”

Aaron hesitated, wanting to defend Bennett, but he did not dare with Vivienne fuming.

“Your skills are lacking? You hold the record for the highest kills in Hawk Club. You have the highest

solo-win rate. When you were racking up championships, these kids were still in diapers. And now

you’re telling me you’re not up to it?”

Bennett felt a lump in his throat, the glory days still vivid in his mind, now…

Vivienne turned her gaze to Quentin. “Got a big temper, I see. Think you can do better as captain?”

She could hear Quentin being the loudest, even outside the door just now.

“I’m not good enough…” Quentin mumbled a response, clearly not ready to step up.

“Oh, so you do know that!” Vivienne reprimanded, “Have you forgotten how Bennett signed you despite

the club’s higher-ups not approving? He bet his entire career on you! Before you entered this club, you

were on the verge of being fired from the youth team!”

Her words made Quentin’s expression shift in color. It was indeed true that he would have never made

it into this club without Bennett.

“And you,” Vivienne continued, turning to Fergus, “When you couldn’t crack the top ten, who was the

one who trained with you day and night, helping you win that AD gold medal?”

“It was… The captain,” Fergus whispered.

“And Lennox, when your family tried to pull you out, who traveled miles to bring you back, got beat by

your parents, and ended up in the hospital for three days to save your career?”

Lennox’s eyes reddened. Bennett had shed more blood for him than tears he had cried in his lifetime.

Vivienne did not spare Aaron either. “And you, with your standout solo skills and top-three world

ranking, think you can skip training? You believe you can carry the team to number one all by

yourself?”

“Vivienne, I didn’t…”

“You didn’t? You have been going to the Brooks Mansion so often lately. You think I don’t know how

much training time you have missed? You think you can take home the championship single-

handedly?”

Aaron had been coming to see her recently, but she was too busy to see him until today.

Aaron remained silent. He had no rebuttals.

Standing up, Vivienne’s presence was like an icy storm. “Have any of you seriously reviewed your

games? Do you even know what you’re doing wrong?”

Bennett looked up earnestly. “Vivienne, we’ll listen to you.”

Aaron blinked in surprise. “Vivienne, you’re not going to play?”

The others turned their gaze to Vivienne, their expressions a mix of hope and confusion. They all

thought that Vivienne showing up today meant she was gearing up to join them for the big game the

day after tomorrow.

Vivienne scanned the room with a sharp eye. “You guys aren’t captain material, and it’s not about

seniority, it’s about smarts.”

Among them, only Bennett understood the crux of the issue, but previously, without the clout to make

his voice heard, his insights were brushed aside.Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay

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The biggest problem with Team Hawk was their disunity and penchant for playing the hero.

Everyone relied too much on Aaron, each player trying to sync with his strategies, but they neglected

their own lanes, leaving gaping vulnerabilities.

Add to that a decline in their execution and reaction times, and it was no wonder they were on a losing

streak.

Vivienne pushed each of the five players to their respective spots. “You’ve been training together for

years, and you know each other inside out. Just find your groove, and you won’t even need me. But for

now, I’m here to whip you into shape. Let’s play a match, and I’ll assess.”

Bennett slipped on his headset, feeling a newfound confidence, almost as if he had returned to his

heyday. Rolling up his sleeves, he bellowed, “Listen up, everyone! This round, we pick our best heroes.

Get back the feel of it!”

“Yes!” they responded, a chorus of determination echoing through the room as they rallied, ready to

rediscover their strengths and reclaim their former glory.