The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Lucas narrowed his eyes, a sign that he was contemplating the silence of Vivienne, who had been quiet up until this point. Despite her silence, he knew of her past accomplishments and didn't underestimate the young woman.

"What is it?" he prompted.

Vivienne cocked an eyebrow, her voice laced with skepticism. "With all the higher-up hotshots, why send us?" This mission reeked of danger.

If the higher-ups couldn't find the evidence, what made Lucas think they could? Dealing with a single GTO was tough enough, and they still hadn't figured out who was pulling Samantha's strings. She wasn't about to take on a suicide mission without good reason.

Caught off guard by her directness, Lucas hesitated. His gaze settled on Percival, whose deep-set eyes betrayed no intention of stifling Vivienne's challenge.

Two little foxes.

Lucas lowered his voice, "You two are rookies in the world of ancient warrior lineages, and this is a direct order from the top brass. You don't have the luxury of refusal." A palpable sense of authority filled the study.

An average person would've crumbled under such pressure, but Vivienne remained composed.

"What if we don't comply? You think you can boss us around with orders? That might work on your own people, but I'm just a regular citizen, not part of your machine. Orders don't mean squat to me!" she retorted with a defiant lean in her chair.

"And besides, with all those ancient warrior lineages and their impressive skills and secret manuals, Mr. Wolf and I are just ordinary folks. This kind of gig? Not really our cup of tea." Lucas was taken aback. He had only just learned of Vivienne's existence and knew nothing of her personality. He had mistaken them for pliable kids, only to be surprised by Vivienne's resistance.

Turning to Percival, Lucas remarked, "You're one of us, Percival. The first rule of Vanguard Agency is to follow orders!" Percival casually touched his nose as he said, "Sorry, Lucas, but I resigned a while back. I'm just a plain citizen of Veridia now." Emphasizing 'plain', Percival's eyes twinkled with mischief.

Lucas felt like exploding with frustration. If it weren't for his status, he would have scolded them directly. What was so 'plain' about them? One was a world-class hacker with a mother who was the former leader of Vanguard Agency's special ops. The other was the current captain of the steam! Plain, my foot! The guards outside were more 'plain' than these two! Behind the screen.

Arthur's keen eyes narrowed. The thick fabric obscured his view, allowing him only glimpses of the silhouettes. He couldn't see their faces, but recalling the Percival he had encountered earlier and his current stance, it made him increasingly uneasy.

The young man his father had praised was apparently scared.

And that young woman, so young yet so cunning.

To him, serving one's country was the highest honor, and yet she had the gall to refuse. How could Richard Ellington have chosen such a cowardly granddaughter-in-law for them? Lucas's mood hadn't improved either. He realized that Percival was under Vivienne's thumb.

Deep breaths helped the old man regain his composure. Remembering the orders from above, he said, “Fine, you two foxes. Rest assured, you won't be doing this for nothing." He pulled a document from the drawer. "The higher-ups have decided to give you full access to the systems during the investigation. With this badge, you can act first and ask questions later, provided there's a valid reason. Local resources and manpower are at your disposal." Vivienne and Percival shared a knowing glance.

Percival took the red-sealed document, skimmed it, and handed it to Vivienne.

Encouraged by their interest, Lucas continued, "All departments will cooperate with your investigation, and you can recruit anyone you trust for your team, regardless of their status-as long as they're not wanted criminals." Vivienne nodded in approval and said, “Alright then, I'm on board." Percival followed suit, "I've got no objections." The intricacies of other ancient warrior lineages were unknown to them, but they were certain they had to confront the Abernathy family. With national resources backing them, it made their job much easier than going it alone.

With the deal settled, there was no reason for them to linger. Lucas was eager for them to leave, having been played by these two youngsters.

As they were about to exit the study, Vivienne glanced back at the towering screen embroidered with a tiger descending a mountain, completely hiding the view behind it.

Lucas twitched, irked, "What are you looking at? Get going!" Percival and Vivienne exchanged a look and departed.

On the way back, Percival drove while glancing at Vivienne. He asked, "Did you notice something?" She fiddled with a trinket in the car and said, "Mr. Wolf, don't tellyou didn't feel it.” There was a fourth presence in the room with them and Lucas.

Percival's eyebrows rose; he knew Vivienne was sharp.

"I didn't at first, but..." he trailed off.

Vivienne concluded, “But when we defied Lucas, that person gave away their presence. If it wasn't intentional, it means our words struck a chord." But who would be interested in their refusal?

Percival shared her curiosity, but without seeing the person, he m couldn't be n't be sure who was behind the seren screen. After all, there were many powerful figures above them. "Let it go, who cares who it was." Vivienne waved dismissively. "If Lucas trusts him enough to listen in, then he's probably trustworthy. And that's all that matters to us." While waiting for the traffic light to turn green, Percival gave Vivienne's hand a gentle squeeze. “You're right. Got any plans for tomorrow?"

Vivienne's fingertips quivered slightly as she turned to look at him. She was just about to speak when her phone buzzed twice. A message from Dorian popped up. [Vivienne, this weekend we're hosting a launch for our new perfline at the house. Make sure you're there.] Vivienne wouldn't dream of declining.Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates...

Her fingers danced briefly over the screen, replying with a simple "Okay," before she had a chance to answer Percival's question. "What's up, Mr. E Wolf, trying to askout? My time's pretty valuable, you know. Most folks don't get the chance to make an appointment." Percival's eyes gleamed with mischief. "Then do I have the honor, as your husband, to book a date with my wife?" Vivienne tilted her chin up with playful arrogance. "You certainly may. So, Mr. Wolf, where do you plan on takingtomorrow?" They hadn't even had a proper honeymoon because of the GTO business! Thinking about it now, she felt they were owed! With a free hand, Percival playfully poked Vivienne's cheek. "Don't worry, it'll be something you'll love." X