The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Karen had been deep undercover in GTO, and although she had never penetrated its core, she had brushed shoulders with its darkest secrets.

Inside GTO, experiments of unspeakable cruelty were a daily occurrence. For someone like Scott, who had been sold to them as a child, the horrors he faced were beyond imagination.

The fact that Scott had survived and even managed to beca stand-in for Belle spoke volumes of his wit and luck — mostly luck, as without it, he would have been another casualty of those vile tests.

“You just said a woman told you your constitution was not suited for their drugs. Was she... F-Poison?” Karen inquired.

Scott chuckled. “Impossible. Even with my fragmented memories from that time, | knew F-Poison was a man, an old man, not unlike Baron Brooks back in the day. He vanished soon after, leaving no impression on me.” “Did he disappear right after Noah rescued you all?” Scott pondered for a moment, then said, “Seems like it. After we returned from Vanguard Agency with Noah, | was whisked away to a new base, and that’s the last | saw of him. Had you not mentioned it, | wouldn't have even remembered.” To Scott, the mere act of surviving was a triumph. The identity of his tormentors was the least of his concerns.

Karen knew that male F-Poison had gone into hiding as a victim during the rescue operation, leaving GTO to the new female F-Poison.

But considering the current F-Poison’s youthful appearance, even if she had aged gracefully, she should be in her fifties or sixties by now.

Could it be that F-Poison had passed down the mantle to a third generation? Was the F-Poison Belle called “mother” the sLSE Aled had encountered? “Do you remember what that woman looked like?” Karen pressed.

“No clue,” Scott admitted. “She always wore a mask. | don’t even know Belle’s true identity. The higher-ups in GTO kept a tight leash; | had no access.” Karen understood all too well. Her own cover had been blown only because Noah discovered her infiltration, leading to a near-fatal confrontation with Scott.

“| see,” Karen said, rising to leave. With no reason to linger, she turned to go.

Scott watched her retreating figure, a mirror image of the day she fled the Brooks family — resolute and detached.

“Karen.” Her name, softly spoken, halted her.

Karen half-turned to face Scott, who stepped forward, his hands gripping the electrified barrier, his gaze filled with longing, regret, and an unspoken plea.

“If there's a next time, could we just sit and reminisce?” Karen's lips twitched, her eyes locked onto Scott's — cold as moonlight.

“No. Between us, there's nothing worth reminiscing about.” With that, she left, her departure as effortless as the closing of a door.

Karen had always admired Scott's cunning and resilience, qualities that would make them kindred spirits if they were not adversaries. But as enemies, Karen would prioritize killing him every time.

Vivienne watched Karen emerge, clicking her tongue. “He’s your old flame, and you're giving him the cold shoulder?” Karen blinked. “I suddenly remember arranging an arranged marriage for you with Dawson.” “Well, your daughter might just elope with Mr. Wolf then,” Vivienne retorted without missing a beat.

Percival entered just in tto overhear Vivienne’s mention of eloping with Mr. Wolf and could not help but brighten at the thought.

In that fleeting moment, he imagined countless romantic getaways.

Karen laughed, playfully accusing, “She claims you haven't made an honest woman of her, so she’s resorting to elopement!” Percival snapped back to reality. “Master, you're too old to be making such jokes.” “Who's old?” Karen and Vivienne chorused, then, arm in arm, they strolled away, leaving Percival speechless.

But who could blhim for being smitten with his wife? After leaving the secret prison, Percival passed the information about everyone in the photo to Vivienne.

“Excluding the infant from back then and Noah's wife, the rest, including their families, have settled in hotels owned by the Ellington Group. There's also the eldest, now battling cancer in the ICU.” Among the twelve, excluding Scott, Karen, the infant, Noah's wife, and the ICU patient, seven remained.

Vivienne took a deep breath. “Looks like we've got seven house calls to make.” Percival smiled, ruffling her hair. “Don’t worry, I'm with you.” “Yeah, Mr. Wolf is the best.” Vivienne leaned in for a kiss.

Thomas, driving the car, glanced at Karen. She was watching the lovebirds with a content smile, not a hint of the typical mother-in-law’s consciousness.

Thomas sighed; he knew exactly where Vivienne got her fiery spirit.

After all, Percival was another of Karen's protégés.

Family, through and through! Vivienne and Percival had been busy bees, buzzing through six households in just one week.

Thankfully, Vance, always the dramatist, had summoned all these folks to Rivenwood under the guise of a grand reunion.

These good people, eager to repay a debt of gratitude for a life saved years ago, had all cto participate in what was billed as a nostalgic gathering.

The first six families checked out, every last soul accounted for, male and female alike. The DNA tests lined up perfectly with the old GTO records.Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates...

Now, only one remained.

Their child, a high schooler at the tof his abduction, would be no spring chicken by now.

And a boy, no less.

This situation had a striking resemblance to F-Poison.

But when Percival knocked on that final door, it swung open to reveal a couple with more yesterdays than tomorrows between them.

“Hello there, you must be Percival. We've heard so much about you! We've been awaiting your arrival,” the woman said as she stepped aside, ushering Percival and Vivienne inside.

Vivienne glanced from the photo in her hand to the man before her.

Definitely not the sperson.

The man chuckled and instructed his partner to pour scoffee for their guests. “My dear, your eyes do not deceive you. The person who was taken all those years ago was not me; it was my son.” “Your son?” “Yes, my boy disappeared when he was in high school. It nearly destroyed us, but thank heavens, he was eventually found.” The man’s voice faltered, weighed down by the memory. Even now, recalling those dark days sent shivers down his spine.