The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

The situation surrounding Karen was combed through once again, but the leads were scant. All they knew was that she used to be the captain at Vanguard Agency and later fell in love with a man named Scott. As for why she vanished off the face of the earth, well, since Timothy Brooks was now the head of the Brooks family, and despite employing every trick in the book, they couldn't pry a word out of his tight-lipped kin.

Arthur, after all, was the War God, and they couldn't resort to extraordinary measures to coerce confessions, either.

So, that was the extent of what he could dig up.

Arthur's gaze sharpened. "Vivienne is Karen's daughter?” That was news to him.

He knew Karen was a trusted subordinate of his father's, a formidable agent at Vanguard Agency, but he had never actually met her.

As for Karen's affair with Scott, he had his suspicions that Karen was, in fact, Winnie. He even confronted Scott about it, but the man was stubborn as a mule and didn't spill the beans.

But now, he was pretty sure Karen wasn't Winnie.

Winnie was a wise and astute woman. Even if she had a daughter, she wouldn't raise her to be the arrogant, high-and-mighty type like Vivienne.

"Knock, knock!" A rhythmic knocking sound suddenly filled the air.

Arthur's brow furrowed, and with a slight gesture of his hand, his subordinates stood up as if they were granted a pardon.

His voice was ice as he commanded, "Keep searching! Dig up the streets if you have to, but find her. I want her alive or evidence of her passing!" He refused to believe that someone could just vanish into thin air.

When Victoria entered the room, only Arthur remained.

She left Walter at the door and stepped inside, halting ten feet away from Arthur, "War God, I lost Kaitlyn!" Arthur's dark eyes lifted, heavy as lead. "What happened?" Trying to maintain her composure, Victoria avoided his gaze. “It's all because of that Vivienne. She seems to be chummy with Kaitlyn. With Percival backing her, who knows where she's hidden her? My people are scouring the city, but so far, zilch!" "Vivienne again." Hearing that nonce more, Arthur's expression tightened.

Victoria stiffened slightly. "You know her?" Arthur scoffed, "A cowardly little upstart is all. Continue the search and try not to ruffle Percival's feathers. Your mother's illness can't wait forever." In a charming, old-world elegance in Northway City.

Samantha lay in her white sundress on the ornate four-poster bed in the master bedroom.

It seemed she had slept for an eternity. Slowly, she opened her eyes, rubbed the ache in her temple, and looked out at the lush garden, "I never took you for a romantic." Her long, fair legs teasingly swung over to the man seated by the bed. Her toes trailed up his pants and cto rest on his tense thigh. “Is this another one of your hideaways?" The statue-like man stirred. "No." Even with Samantha's seduction, those unfathomable eyes betrayed no emotion, "You just woke up. Don't waste your energy on frivolities." "Don't be so heartless." Samantha bent her legs, sitting up on her knees.

The movement caused her fullness to bounce enticingly, drawing the eye. "I've been asleep so long, don't you missat all? If you pass up today, once I'm back in the lab, you'll lose this chance forever." The man's Adam's apple bobbed, his gaze meeting Samantha's sultry eyes.

His hand, as if bewitched, glided over Samantha's smooth shoulder. Their distance closed, lips nearly touching when a woman's voice from outside chilled the air, "If you're planning a tryst, it'll have to wait." Her tone was melodious, but to others, it sounded icy cold. "Cout; I need to talk to you." At the Boyd household.

Mara had been unusually docile lately. She shadowed Cecilia, rarely leaving her side. Alongside her brother Huxley, they were like two quails in the Ellington household.

Cecilia's mood dictated their unease.

When Vivienne arrived, Mara's face turned ashen. "What do you want?" Her trembling finger pointed at Vivienne, her eyes darting to Percival, then to the person slung over Leopold's shoulder.

Leopold rolled his eyes, "Since when does Vivienne need to report to you when she comes home? She's the future lady of this house; what does it have to do with you?" "Step aside, let us in. This kid is as heavy as a rock!" Synthetic humans were designed with realistic weight, and Leopold, having carried the burden all the way, was overheated and short-tempered.

Mara's face flashed with resentment, meeting Vivienne's mocking gaze, and a shiver ran down her spine. "I didn't mean. Vivienne, please cin. Aunt Cecilia was asking about you just yesterday." As if she was the true matriarch of the home. Mara's cautious demeanor was tinged with a hint of superiority. Vivienne raised an eyebrow, indifferent to her antics.

Leopold, on the other hand, couldn't stand Mara's pretentiousness. He strode past her, carving the body to ve the sofa, "No need for your trouble. To the unknowing eye, one might mistake you for an extra maid in the Ellington family. Right, Percival?" Percival didn't respond. In truth, he didn't have the chance.

The body Leopold had been carrying was placed on the couch, and if not for the gaping hole in its head, anyone would believe it was the real Huxley.

Even Mara, his own flesh and blood, leaped back like a startled alley cat at the sight of "him." "Huxley, what on earth happened to you?"

She lunged forward, her eyes blazing with fury as she locked onto Vivienne.

"Vivienne! You jerk, You've got an problem, take it up with me. My brother's done nothing to you. Why would you hurt him? I swear, Aunt Cecilia's gonna hear about this. You wicked witch, you don't deserve to set foot in the Ellington family home!" Leopold kicked out in frustration. "Would you shut it? Open your eyes, for God's sake! Does that look like Huxley to you?"

Mara retorted, "How can it not be Huxley?! Mr. Sterling, even if you're siding with Vivienne, you can'tjust stand there and lie to my face. You think I can't recognize my own brother?"Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates... Clutching "Huxley" tightly, Mara's voice was raw with emotion.

Her cries were so loud they even stirred Cecilia from her apartment upstairs. Wrapped in a shawl, she hurried down. When she caught sight of Vivienne standing below, her eyes lit up.

Before she could approach, a figure burst forth like a firecracker, "Aunt Cecilia, you've got to take my side! I know I've messed up in the past. I know Vivienne doesn't like me, but no matter what, she can't take it out on Huxley." Vivienne was at her wit's end, "How could your cousin Mara be so blind? How could she not see what was right in front of her?" Percival's usually stoic face softened just a bit, "Her brains never did work quite right."