The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Maddox had been ruminating for a long time. To alter the paternity test results right under Yuri’s nose, the opposition must be formidable and well-prepared.

Taking out Vivienne’s test result now would undoubtedly cause an uproar.

For Vivienne's safety and to swiftly uncover the mastermind, keeping her identity under wraps for as long as possible was imperative.

Everyone in the Perez family knew how much Jasper treasured Sasha.

With Sasha’s daughter surfacing, Vivienne would becthe Perez family’s precious jewel. Frankly, the entire Perez family might end up belonging to Vivienne.

This would inevitably make her a target for the person pulling the strings.

Vivienne’s safety could not be guaranteed in such a scenario.

Thus, Vivienne's identity must remain a secret for the tbeing! Vivienne nodded. “Okay, I'll follow your lead, Uncle Maddox.” Maddox covered his eyes again. Hearing Vivienne call him ‘Uncle’ so many times, it was this one instance that pierced his heart the most.

He could not contain his tears, sobbing while saying, “Vivienne, you can’t let anyone find out I cried in front of you, especially Yuri. Otherwise, even Natalia and Yasmine’s kindergarten would hear about it.” Vivienne could not help but laugh through her tears at Maddox's antics.

“Got it,” she assured him.

After a moment, Maddox regained his composure, handed Vivienne her phone back, licked his dry lips, and clasped his hands tightly together. [x] “Vivienne, how did Sasha really die? Who's your dad? What has your mom been through all these years?” Maddox struggled to ask.

The Perez family had received Vivienne’s background information early on, the first detail being her orphan status.

Now, having recognized Vivienne, Maddox also had to face the harsh truth that his beloved sister Sasha was no longer among the living.

As Vivienne recounted the story of her mother Karen's suicide, including her involvement with GTO and Vanguard Agency, she held nothing back from her closest kin.

At that moment, Vivienne felt she was not battling the world alone anymore.

Although Percival had always provided her stability, love and family were distinctly different comforts.

She could feel a void in her heart being silently filled.

Maddox was astounded. He had always imagined his sister to be a prodigy, but he never anticipated she would be this exceptional.

Sasha was truly the pride of the Perez family! “My sister was the Lark that shook the whole Vanguard Agency. She was so close, and | had no idea,” Maddox lamented with shock and guilt.

Although the Perez family had little direct contact with Vanguard Agency, they were still closely linked.

His sister having served as the captain of Vanguard Agency's special squad without his knowledge, despite his frequent dealings with the agency, was shocking, to say the least.

“Yeah, Wolf is Percival. He was my mom’s most promising apprentice. After her suicide, he took over as the captain of the Vanguard Agency's special squad. After that, | lived anonymously, secluded in the mountains, rarely coming down.” Vivienne wished she could hand Maddox a tissue, but they lacked supplies.

She had not expected him to be such a crybaby.

“I always said that Sasha had to be the one who created the bionic tech.” Maddox almost wrung his sleeve dry.

Speaking of bionics, Vivienne suddenly remembered the robot Finnian had used to test Percival.

In terms of material, efficiency, and operational lifespan, it was unmatched by anything the Ashford family had achieved over the years.

But Finnian should not have had the talent in this field.

“Uncle, did you tell Uncle Yuri about the bionics?” Vivienne inquired.

Maddox shook his head. “No, | didn’t say a word. Bionics were something my father intended forto manage, which is like my own business. | can handle it as | see fit without interference from my father, so there was no need to mention it. Why?” Vivienne relayed the details about the robot Finnian had showcased to Maddox. “Finnian was my mom’s good friend. Knowing about the technology would not be hard for him, but the fact he could develop it is what puzzles a, Maddox fell silent for a few seconds, considering Vivienne’s words, and a thought slowly dawned on him.

“You mean...” “I'm not sure yet, Uncle, that’s why | need you to investigate. Find out what Finnian has been up to all these years, and that guy named Vesper around him, something just doesn’t sit right with me.” Vivienne knew too well Finnian was familiar with her capabilities; a direct approach would be futile.

And if Finnian could fake his death without a trace for so long, then Percival likely would not have uncovered anything.

Finnian would certainly be cautious.

But if Maddox were to investigate, using the influence of the Perez family and his own skills, Finnian might not notice immediately.

Any piece of information could be crucial.

Maddox nodded in agreement. “Don’t worry, I'll dig up everything on Finnian, down to when he hits the restroom.” Vivienne chuckled. “That might be a bit too detailed. Oh, Uncle, there's one more thing I need to ask you.” Maddox whipped out his smartphone to order stakeout, opting for sduck confit with a side of cola, prudently choosing not to crack open a beer with his niece.

“Fire away, kiddo. It's just you andtonight, and it’s tfor sreal talk. We'll hash out everything that’s been going on over the years,” he said with a hint of solemnity.

“Alright.” Seeing Maddox being so open, Vivienne was not about to miss this opportunity.Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates...

She straightened up, her curiosity piqued. “What's this ancient warrior lineage thing all about?” Maddox figured she would ask that. “Now that you're back, | guess there's no harm in spilling the beans. In a nutshell, an ancient warrior lineage is just what it sounds like - families with a heritage of special skills passed down from the old days. But with each generation and all the changes, many of these lineages have pivoted towards modern technology. The secret skills are typically passed down to just one family member. Siblings like us? We're usually left out in the cold.” Vivienne’s curiosity was piqued. “Secret skills? What kind of secret skills does our family have?” Maddox winked, his expression turning serious. He stretched out his hand, pointing a finger towards a trash can not too far off.

Vivienne followed his gaze, but nothing happened.

“Uncle, what's up?” Maddox retracted his hand and let out a chuckle. “Well, that’s because | don’t have the gift. You see, out of the five of us, only Fredrick won the draw. He's got the talent. Our family’s secret skill is sort of like telekinesis, manipulating objects with the mind. At home, | always had to beg Fredrick to grab things for me. Your Auntie Alice fell for him hard when she saw what he could do. | was green with envy.

If only | had begged Grandpa to teachthat trick, | might have won Willa’s heart by now.”