The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Vivienne didn't even flinch when the man tried to confront her; instead, she had him pinned down in aedic pose in no time,

immobilizing himpletely.

"What have you done to me? Do you know who | am? Do you have any idea how quickly | can ruin your life?" he spat out, enraged.

"Quiet down!" Vivienne snapped, flicking several silver needles his way. The man fell to the ground, unconscious, in an instant.

The nanny gasped in horror. "Sir! Mrs. Ellington, what have you done to him?"

"He was too loud. He'll wake up soon," Vivienne said, glancing at the nanny.

Floyd, having been released, stood quietly to the side, watching the whole scene unfold. Even witnessing his father's meltdown

didn't seem to ruffle him.

"If you need anything,e find me. You know where | live," Vivienne said softly, crouching down to his level.

As she was about to leave, Floyd caught hold of her sleeve.

"Hmm?"

"Aren't you trying to decode those texts?"

Vivienne looked puzzled at Floyd until he said, "He's out cold. Why don't you check the study? The dictionary you need is in there,

along with all the answers you're looking for."

The nanny looked incredulous at Floyd's suggestion. "Master Floyd, what are you doing? Your father would be furious if he knew,

this is—"

She stopped herself, shifting her gaze to Vivienne, "Mrs. Ellington, the young master doesn't know any better. You can tell the

difference, right?"

"I don't need your guidance; | know what I'm doing," Floyd retorted, unusually loud for him. "If you want to know, follow me. | can't

stand this anymore."

Vivienne knew this was crucial; she couldn't just let it go.

Under the nanny's watchful eye, Vivienne followed Floyd to the door of the second-floor study.

Before entering, Vivienne noticed the traps inside. She stopped Floyd in his tracks, "Hold on."

Floyd looked puzzled.

Without much explanation, Vivienne adjusted something on a nearby potted plant, revealing a keypad lock.

She sprayed something on it, making the password visible, checked it, and then pushed the door open to enter.

The study wasn't the chaotic mess Vivienne had expected. Books were piled on the desk, one left open as if hastily abandoned.

"That one," Floyd pointed to the open book. "If this solves everything, can my mom divorce him?"

Vivienne hadn't expected that from Floyd. "Yes."

When Vivienne picked up the book, it was full of notes. She jotted down the frequently occurring words from the reports and took

photos of the rest with her phone.

Floyd stood by the bookshelf, memorizing the room's layout.

After gathering all she needed, Vivienne bid Floyd goodbye and left for home, her expression grave.

Considering the way Floyd's father had acted, she couldn't predict what he might do to Floyd.

To prevent any harm, Vivienne decided to have someone watch over Floyd discreetly.

Upon her return, her kids were in the living room with Percival.

"Mommy, you're back!"

Vivienne had rushed off without a word. As soon as she arrived home, she headed straight for her study.

"You kids keep playing; I'll check on your mom," Percival said, knowing Vivienne's hurry meant she had made progress.

The children understood Vivienne's dedication and watched her leave quietly.

By the tPercival arrived, Vivienne was already at her desk, piecing together the report with the photos she had taken.

"The kid showed you the family library?" he asked.

"Yes, and his father is indeed linked to the ancient warrior lineage. It's all inherited knowledge, and this book is only part two. There

must be a moreplex part one," she mused.

Percival joined Vivienne, helping her sift through the data.

The report detailed experiments on immortality conducted in Luck Village, using live subjects.

"They injected people with deadly substances, then fed them experimental drugs to see if they could achieve immortality. Nearly a

hundred people were tested, many dying from the trials, their deaths meticulously recorded," Vivienne explained.

"Floyd's father has been continuing these experiments, breaking numerous laws in the process," Vivienne concluded, setting the

book down. She had suspected something was amiss with the Field family's long-standing connection to Luck Village.

"Should we arrest him now?" Percival asked.

After a moment's hesitation, Vivienne nodded.

Without further discussion, Percival reported the situation, and Soren was dispatched to the Field residence that night.

Carlos had just woken up when Vanguard Agency agents swarmed his home.

Soren, leading the team, showed his badge. "We've received reports of your involvement in illegal activities. You need toe with

us for questioning."

Before Carlos could react, he was restrained. He saw Floyd in the corner, seething with rage but unable to approach his son.

As Carlos glowered, the nanny shielded Floyd, who smiled slightly. This household was finallying to an end.

Vivienne had finally cracked the code, her arms laden with a stack of reports as she made her way to the lab.

Connor was a shadow of his former self, tormented daily by the drugs to the point of incoherence. When Vivienne arrived, she

found him foaming at the mouth, a far cry from the vibrant man he once was.

Connor's gaze upon seeing Vivienne held no recognition, perhaps even a desire not to see her at all.

Undeterred by his subtle rebuffs, Vivienne casually placed her documents on a nearby table.

“You didn’t seriously think I'de up empty-handed?” Vivienne scoffed, a hint of emotion flickering in her eyes that immediately

spelled doom for Connor.

With the mention of their findings being in code, Connor's demeanor shifted drastically, his eyes locking onto Vivienne with a mix

of fear and disbelief.

Vivienne administered the final dose to Connor, her voice cold, “It’s all over now. You can rest in peace.”

Moments later, Connor's breath stilled permanently, just as news updates on the Field family flooded the TV screen.

Carlos had been apprehended, and numerous assets of the Field family were now in the hands of the state.

Leaning on Percival's shoulder, Vivienne watched the reports with an impassive heart. Turning to Percival, she suggested, “Let's

find a quiet place, away from all this chaos, and start anew.”

Their future seemed like a blank canvas, ready to be painted with the colors of a life far removed from the shadows that once

engulfed them.