The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Vivienne let out a sigh, expelling the frustration from her chest as she looked up at Percival.

"Mr. Wolf, Vanguard Agency has been shut down. Are those people who were locked up still there?"

Percival blinked in surprise, "Givea moment to check."

He had heard that the prisoners from Vanguard Agency had been moved. But since he didn't work there, he hadn't paid it much

attention.

Not sure what Vivienne was up to, but willing to help out, he decided to give Micah a call.

Meanwhile, at the Abernathy mansion.

The grand room was bustling with people.

From Gavin to Harrison, including Zinnia, who should have been playing the patient in the hospital but was instead sitting up

straight, dignified in her seat.

"Harrison, what's the situation at the hospital?" Gavin asked, scanning the room before turning to Harrison, who was seated beside

him.

Harrison, his gaze fixed on his phone, fingers tapping rhythmically, replied, "I was too late, Dad. | underestimated Vivienne and her

quick response. I'm sorry."

Disappointment flickered in Gavin's eyes, but he refrained from being harsh, given Harrison's evident regret. He simply nodded,

"The Ellingtons have always been a tough nut to crack. It's understandable that you were unprepared, having never dealt with

them directly. Kipling, Zinnia, how are things on your end?"

Kipling patted his chest with a grin, "Leave it to me. Those online trolls are easy to fool. I've already leaked the Littletons' location.

That loser and his daughter are probably trapped at hby now."

Zinnia fidgeted with her dress, slightly tense, "I have contacts at the estate. I've informed them about the situation, and they've

agreed to help rally the homeowners to drive out the Littletons."

"But, they want a hundred grand for their help after it's done." It was her first tdealing with such a prominent family. She was

understandably nervous in Gavin's presence, "Gavin, about this..."

Gavin waved it off nonchalantly, "Don't worry. As long as the job's done, the Abernathys can spare a hundred grand."

After all, if they could secure the secret recipe, what the Grimshaws would offer was far beyond that sum.

Gavin was clear about the stakes: they had to succeed, failure was not an option! He turned to Harrison, "Stoke the fires online.

And find the Littletons' new hideout as quickly as possible. | want to see how tough this Kaitlyn can be."

Kipling exchanged a look with Harrison, a ruthless glint in his eye, "Why not dig up her parents’ graves? If we find what you're

after, great. If not, we can use their ashes to threaten her. Isn't that easier than dealing with Julian and Sadie?"

The room fell silent.

Harrison's eyes, hidden behind his bangs, showed a trace of cruelty, "It's a good plan, but could it backfire?"

"What could possibly go wrong?" Gavin laughed heartily. "Kipling, you always have the best schemes. Harrison, you're too straight-

laced. You could learn a thing or two from Kipling! Gather a crew and head to Saddlehill Cemetery. Those Littletons are dead and

buried, and I'm going to use their graves against their daughter!"

Harrison's smile held a barely perceptible sharpness.

In the property management office of the upscale neighborhood.

"What kind of security is this?! Allowing a criminal into our community, you're compromising our safety!"

"Absolutely! We paid a fortune for these homes for peace of mind! Look at what you've done, letting a criminal live here. Every

family here has children. Can you take responsibility if something happens?"

A woman dressed in a tasteful, modest dress led a group of equally mature men and women, blockading the office entrance.

Behind the crowd stood two bodyguards, holding up a red banner with bold, black letters: [The Littletons Must Leave Our

Community!]

The property manager, Elwood, was more miserable than if he had been crying, apologizing profusely to the woman, "Raquel, I'm

terribly sorry. We simply don't have the authority to evict anyone. Everyone's a homeowner; we're just here to serve, we can't just

throw people out."

If only they would go hassle the Littletons directly!

This wasn't a government office; they couldn't check someone's entire background. As long as the person had money, even if they

were wanted by the law, they couldn't be denied residence if not previously known to the property management.

Raquel, hands on hips, her patience wearing thin, snapped, "What kind of excuse is that?! Protecting us homeowners is your job.

We're making demands, why aren't you taking action?!"

"Exactly! They say everyone's a homeowner, but that Julian doesn't look rich at all! The Littletons went broke over a decade ago;

where did they get the money to buy a house here?!"

"The house had been vacant forever, and | have no clue how Kaitlyn managed to weasel her way in! Your property management is

so lax—it's outrageous, I'm lodging a complaint!"

A group of irate homeowners huddled at the property management's door, each more incensed than the last.

Elwood's young assistant surveyed the crowd, noting with a hint of disdain that they were all from the smaller homes in the villa

community. She curled her lip in contempt and muttered a rebuttal, "A bunch of scaredy-cats! They're just too chicken to confront

the Littletons because of their burly bodyguard. They'd rather take it out on us. What a joke!"

"Watch it, girlie, what did you just say?!" Raquel, standing at the front, snapped.

The assistant mumbled something under her breath, but it was too quiet for Raquel to catch anything clearly.

All she could make out was the phrase 'scaredy-cats', which, coming from someone with shoddy eyeshadow and bug-eyed fury,

only made her already unkind face seem all the more menacing.

The assistant had seen her fair share of fierce homeowners, and the ones with sprawling estates in the community were far more

intimidating than Raquel. If she wasn't afraid of them, she certainly wasn't going to be cowed by Raquel. "Yes, I'm talking to you!

Coward, always throwing your weight around. If you're so tough, why don't you picket in front of the Littletons' place, huh?"

"What the heck are you on about?!" Elwood's face soured at her words.

He chided her just enough to make a point, quickly apologizing to Raquel before the situation escalated, "I'm really sorry, Raquel.

This intern doesn't know her boundaries. But honestly, we don't have the authority to kick anyone out. Mrs. Littleton might not be

an official homeowner, but the owner of the villa had informed us about their arrival in advance. Unless she specifically asks the

Littletons to leave, no one else has the right to evict her guests!"

Raquel was unconvinced. The Littletons were a has-been family who could barely rub two nickels together, yet someone was

pulling strings for them?

"Who are you trying to fool?! Prove it then. Showwho this mysterious homeowner is. | want to see who's got such poor

judgment that they'd harbor these folks!"

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