The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

The car swiftly reached its destination.

Perhaps sensing the presence of family, Winston's face turned to panic the moment they entered the inner room. Vivienne squeezed his hand, reassuring him. "Don't be scared. We can leave whenever you want." But despite his fear, Winston didn't back down and followed Vivienne into the deepest room of the house.

Upon seeing the elderly man with white hair sitting inside, Winston whispered, "Grandpa, is that you?" The man in the room jolted, turned around, and upon seeing Winston and then Vivienne, everything clicked in an instant.

He stretched out his hand, calling out to Winston with the swarmth he had shown at the Wright family gatherings, "Winston,e here to grandpa." This was the first tWinston had seen Declan's face without the masks he wore at Wright family events. Winston felt a surge of unfamiliarity but mustered the courage to approach.

Vivienne discreetly gave them space, standing a short distance away.

Ten minutes later, Winston walked back to her. "Grandpa and I had a chat. He said you had things to discuss, so I'll wait outside." Vivienne patted his head, "Okay." She signaled to Thomas to escort Winston back to the car.

Then she approached Declan.

Separated by a barrier, Declan accused, "You brought Winston here to threaten me!" Vivienne scoffed, "ot to mention, Winston's now staying with the Linklater family. If I wanted to use him to threaten you, I wouldn't have waited till now." "I brought him only to fulfill one of his wishes." "The Linklater family?" Declan caught on to the key point and laughed, "Well, as long as he carries the blood of the Edwards family, what does it matter where he stays?" Vivienne found his words ironic. "If you truly consider Winston your kin, why use his blood to concoct a serum for your own escape plan?" "Declan, your trust in Abigail is just as shallow." Declan's expression darkened, not expecting Vivienne to uncover so much so quickly. "You have that concoction?" Vivienne didn't beat around the bush. "You have one option: spill the details of your deal." Declan smirked coldly. "Abigail is paranoid. Why would she strike a deal with me? I'm merely a pawn in her game." Vivienne's gaze hardened. "What did Abigail promise you?" Declan remained silent, clearly unwilling to reveal the secret.

Vivienne raised an eyebrow. "You're secretly working on an antidote without Abigail knowing. Aren't you afraid she'll silence you once she finds out?" Declan, his voice low, admitted, "If you've found the antidote, you must know what Abigail holds. Yes, I developed that for her, preparing for this day.' "This world, she's determined to conquer." Whom she referred to was clear to Vivienne.

But one thing puzzled her. "Why Winston?" she asked, looking directly at Declan.

Declan's gaze darkened, revealing a moment of selfish calculation. "If I carried the antidote, Abigail's suspicion would surely uncover it. I couldn't take that risk. The antidote had to be placed in the least suspecting person." Vivienne's expression shifted. "Aren't you afraid Abigail will find out and decide to eliminate Winston?" The recent interaction made it clear Declan had feelings for Winston, though how much was genuine and how much was calculated only he knew.

Declan's eyes revealed little emotion now. "The heir I chose for the Wright family must be capable of bearing such risks. If not, he's not destined for it." He had built the Wright family, and only the true strong could inherit it.

Vivienne's brows furrowed.

She didn't know what Declan told Winston, but she wouldn't stand by if it involved any conspiracy.

The Wright family was no more. Even if Winston carried its bloodline, these burdens didn't have to be his to bear anymore.

Checking the time, Vivienne cut to the chase, "Hand over the antidote, or I'll use your blood as a practice." Declan laughed. "Do you think Abigail would rely on mere toxins as her ultimate weapon? You underestimate her." Vivienne's eyes flashed coldly.

Declan sneered, "Abigail seeks unconditional surrender from everyone. Those toxins are nothing in her eyes." "She has calculated everything. No matter the move, it won't affect her grand plan to dominate." Vivienne remembered something Brody said earlier and pressed, "Besides the zealots, what else does Abigail have up her sleeve?" Declan's hesitation gave him away.

Vivienne was right.

There was something crucial that Abigail was hiding.

With a cold smile, Vivienne probed Declan, pushing his buttons, "After all you've done for Abigail, what are you hoping to gain? Immortality or power and prestige?" Declan just laughed coldly, offering no reply.

Suddenly, Percival emerged from a nearby room and uttered something that made Declan's face go pale.

He said, "If it's not immortality, then it's the position of the head of the ancient warrior lineage." Declan didn't respond, but his silence spoke volumes.

Immortality meant nothing to him.

All he cared about was crushing those people beneath his feet.

Even if they were dead, he wanted their descendants to see how powerful the person they once scorned had be.

Percival moved closer to Vivienne, gently taking her hand.

Facing Declan, his tone was dark, laced with a hint of mockery, "Of course, thinking you could take on the entire ancient warrior lineage on your own, even if you had a hundred years, would be a pipe dream. So, you place your hopes on someone even less likely." en.kikistories "Don't you find it laughable?" Declan's expression remained calm, but his voice betrayed him, "I believe in her. She can do it!" Percival had seen all kinds of people during his years at Vanguard Agency.

He continued, "Your belief in her doesn't mean she'll value you any more." "Throughout history, when have you seen a new ruler, upon their ascent, first eliminate a well-known family that has existed for centuries? Those in power only eliminate those without utility, or those who, after being drained of their worth, still demandpensation." en.kikistories "Like you!" Declan's face stiffened.

Not giving him a moment to hesitate, Percival delivered the coup de grâce.