The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Harrison caught the punch without flinching, his grasp firm and unyielding.

Victoria's eyes widened in shock as he soothed her with a seemingly tender voice, "Alright, I won't bring her up. Let's talk about your biological mother instead. You don't seriously believe that Gavin would just hand her over after you've pulled off this stunt, do you?" His voice was steady as the pressure around Victoria's waist loosened a fraction. "Believe it or not, in the Abernathy family, I'm the only one who can help you and the only one you can trust. Finding your mother on your own is a dead end, Victoria. You need to learn to ask for help." Victoria's knitted brows relaxed slightly. With a quick movement, she broke free from Harrison's hold and put sdistance between them. "What makes you think I can trust you?" "I won't lie to you; I despise Gavin just as much as you do." Harrison brushed off imaginary dust from his suit and settled back into his seat. "What you said earlier isn't exactly what I had in mind, but it's close enough-say, sixty percent accurate." Seeing the surprise in Victoria's eyes, Harrison gave a sincere smile and continued, "I know you hate Gavin too. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Surely I don't need to teach you that, Victoria?" He seemed genuinely intent on helping Victoria find out where her mother was.

Doubt flickered in Victoria's heart. She scrutinized Harrison, searching his face for any sign of deceit. But the man's eyes were clear, devoid of any guile or even a hint of remorse.

Perhaps she really could use him to her advantage? With that thought, Victoria's eyes flickered, and she slowly moved closer to Harrison, working her wrists, "Aren't you afraid I'll spill our conversation to my dad?" "Gavin won't believe you anyway." Harrison was confident about his standing with his father-in-law. "He won't believe you, Victoria." Victoria cursed inwardly-what a showoff! She half-closed her eyes, a mix of speechlessness and disdain on her face, void of the bitterness of a father's disbelief.

She fell silent, and so did Harrison. He leisurely sipped his iced coffee, the ease of his demeanor making Victoria grit her teeth. After a long pause, it was she who broke the silence with an impatient click of her tongue.

Clenching her fist, she rapped on the table to get Harrison's attention, "If you dare deceive me, you'll end up in a world of hurt!" Harrison raised an eyebrow, shifting his gaze from her delicate hand to her eyes. She reminded him of the cautious yet utterly naive kitten he used to have. Suppressing the urge to ruffle her hair, he placed his hand over hers. "You'll be glad for today's decision." Emerald City.

The sun shone brightly as Vivienne stepped out of the car, umbrella in hand.

Percival stood by her side, gazing at the endless stretch of green hills that unfurled before them.

A gentle breeze rustled the trees, revealing the village nestled among the dense woods below.

Matthew was already waiting at the village entrance. Seeing Vivienne, he jogged over to greet them.

"Vivienne, the Abernathys live at the far end of the village." After exchanging pleasantries with Leopold and Percival, Matthew led them in. "The nearest house to theirs is a ten-minute walk away." Leopold's lips curled up in amusement. "That certainly makes our job easier." Vivienne shot him a glance. "Go bring the car around, and remember not to alert the locals." Matthew scratched his head, looking >etween Vivienne and Leopold, and couldn't help but add, "Actually, uffling sfeathers might not be in issue. In the few days I've been ere, we learned that the Abernathys, being newcfaven't meshed well with the 'illagers for over a decade." Content elongs to englishHe paused, a bizarre look on his face. "When I was asking around about them, I ran into an Abernathy. The locals even covered for me. It's been days, and the Abernathys haven't noticed anything amiss." Leopold, Vivienne, and Percival exchanged speechless glances. This was an unexpected twist.

Seeming to feel they weren't shocked enough, Matthew rubbed is nose and continued, "Leopold, 'ou can drive in from behind the nayor's house-the one with the lagpole. It's more discreet and less kely to tip off the Abernathys. They're probably still out working the ields right now." Content belongs tc >wHe pointed to a building that stood taller than the rest, with a flag waving proudly above it-visible even on the darkest of nights. Following his direction, Vivienne saw a man in a white shirt, black trousers, and canvas shoes standing in the field, hoeing with an air of experience before picking up his tool and heading for the road.

The weeds in the field were taller than the crops; everywhere else was a sea of gold, but their land was a lush green. Frankly, Vivienne doubted there was any point in tilling such land.

"You didn't get all this from the mayor, did you?" Vivienne's clear eyes flashed with incredulity, her tone implying certainty more than inquiry.

Matthew choked and sheepishly nodded. "Cormac must have taken a good sum from the Abernathys back in the day. Though he's been hiding in this village, he's lived better than the entire village combined for years.

But for sreason, he went ahead el ว and bought a plot of land from the mayor. Sure, he planted crops on it, but his heart wasn't in it. Just scattered the seeds and left them be, then let the weeds run wild. went down to check it out, and there wasn't much to see. Just a bunch of weeds and sstunted corn or whatever." The more Vivienne and Percival heard, the more intrigued they became.

Even Leopold sensed something was off and hissed, "What's his angle? Ssort of rustic adventure? Besides, he's from the Abernathy family, for heaven's sake. If he wanted to lay low, why hide out in this little hillbilly village?" He couldn't fathom it. Not one bit.

Matthew was just as puzzled. "I get the feeling they're guarding something. I mean, Cormac comes down to the fields every day. But his folks? They hardly ever leave the house, barely set foot beyond their own doorstep. And then there's this unbearable stench around the place." "A stench?" Vivienne and Percival exchanged a glance, then motioned for the group to enter the village.

Their entourage dispersed, blending into the hamlet.

Hand in hand, Vivienne and Percival strolled the village lanes with Matthew, occasionally greeting the locals returning from the fields with warm familiarity.

"Matthew's been here for just a day or two, and he's already chummy with the villagers." Percival observed with a quirk of his brow. "Cormac have been here for over a decade and are as popular as a skunk at a lawn party." mmMwWLlilOfiflO&1 mmMwWLlilOfiflo&1 mmMwWLliI0fiflO&1 mmMwWLlilOfiflO&1 mmMwWLliI0fifl0&1 mmMwWLlilOfiflo&1 mmMwWLlilOfiflO&1 mmMwWLlilOfiflo&1 mmMwWLlilofiflO&1 mmMwWLlilOfiflO&1 mmMwWLliI0fifl0&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLlilOfiflO&1 mmMwWLlilOfiflO&1 mmMwWLliI0fiflO&1 mmMwWLlilOfiflO&1 mmMwWLliI0fifl0&1 mmMwWLlilOfiflO&1