The Million-Dollar Heart (Percival and Vivienne)

At the airline headquarters, Vivienne and Connor entered one after the other, the staff bustling about their tasks with practiced ease. Greetings were exchanged with subtle nods before everyone resumed their work. Connor led the way to his office, opening the door and half-stepping aside for Vivienne to enter, catching the hint of surprise on her face with a small, knowing smile. "I've got a surprise for you. Aren't you coming in?" Vivienne, masking her curiosity with indifference, stepped into the office.

Connor moved to his desk, retrieving a black box and placing it before her. "I know you've been after the original surveillance footage from that flight Mr. Wolf was on five years ago. Without digging into it yourself, how could you ever be at peace?" Vivienne looked at the black box, her expression unreadable yet intense.

Indeed.

Her agreement to partner with Connor was primarily driven by her desire to find the original footage of Mr. Wolf's last moments on that ill-fated flight.

She had obtained the video shortly after the incident, but it only contained the last few minutes of audio before the crash - the rapid descent, the chaotic noise, and then... the explosion.

The crash site was discovered three days later. To avoid drawing attention, Vivienne led a team there herself.

Hovering over the deep sea in a helicopter, she was greeted by the vast emptiness, with only white fragments of the plane floating on the surface. No islands in sight for a possible crash landing, and with the deep sea rendering their equipment useless, the chances of finding survivors were slim to none.

But Vivienne refused to give up hope.

Connor connected the black box to the computer, standing up to give Vivienne some space. "No one will disturb you without my say-so."

As the door closed, Vivienne took a moment to glance outside before sitting down at the computer. The audio, now fully decrypted, was complete and extensive. The only difference from five years ago was that she could now hear Mr. Wolf's voice, albeit briefly. Those few words sent a shiver down her spine.

For five years, she hadn't forgotten, not for a single day.

She didn't understand what threat Mr. Wolf had faced or what he had discovered back then. Vivienne couldn't forgive him, even though she understood his reasons. He knew how long it took her to recover from her mother's supposed death, yet he chose this path, sacrificing himself for her as if she was too weak to protect herself.Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

As she focused on the audio, a piercing noise through the headphones made her wince, but she thought she heard a different voice, calling out a name. She squinted, about to pause the playback when the computer screen suddenly went black.

Connor re-entered the office as Vivienne removed her headphones, asking, "What happened?"

With a somber expression, Connor replied, "Someone hacked our system. The network is down for now."

Vivienne glanced at the screen, now displaying an error message. As an investor in the company, she felt compelled to act but Connor's reassuring hand stopped her. "I'll handle this. Just wait here."

Connor sat down at the computer, his fingers flying over the keyboard. Within minutes, the hustle and bustle outside quieted down.

Vivienne approached him, "What's the status?"

Connor looked up calmly, "It's under control, but it'll take some time to recover the data. If you're not in a hurry, there's a great diner downstairs."

Vivienne stood up to leave; she wasn't in the mood for food or small talk.

Connor got up, "Jasper called me yesterday, Vivienne. Are you sure we shouldn't have a proper talk?"

Vivienne paused, considering his words.

Connor took her to a local diner,

tucked away at the end of a quiet alley. Its cozy atmosphere was a stark contrast to the bustling headquarters they had just left "Hey, boss Two of your special dishes, please!" Connor called out to the chef.

The chef, spotting them, teased Connor about bringing a girlfriend. Vivienne raised an eyebrow in silent protest, but Connor quickly clarified, "She's my business partner, Vivienne."

The chef apologized, offering their meal on the house. As they waited, Vivienne observed the simple yet comforting setting, a stark difference from her usual environment.

"You seem to know this place well," Vivienne commented, picking at her food without much interest.

Connor, removing his glasses, relaxed visibly. "I'm not originally from Rivenwood, and it took me a while to find a place that felt like home. This diner is one of those rare finds for me."

Vivienne chose to ignore the

underlying message in his words, steering the conversation back to business I heard the Boyd family lived in Sea City for many years before moving here. What made you decide to come to Rivenwood?"

Connor caught her gaze, a playful spark in his eyes. "Are you curious about me or my family?"

"Is there a difference?" Vivienne countered, uninterested in personal details. Her focus was on the mission, not on Connor's personal history, which she had already investigated.

Connor shifted the topic, hinting at the rumors surrounding Mr. Wolf's fate. Vivienne remained noncommittal, her thoughts occupied with the task at hand rather than the complexities of personal connections.

Connor let out a sigh, "Have you ever considered that if he's really out there, choosing not to see you, maybe that's his way of saying it's over?"

Vivienne's grip tightened momentarily.

Connor's voice filled the space again, "Is someone like that really worth waiting for?"

Vivienne's gaze turned icy, "I know what I'm doing."

The unsaid message was clear: Mind your own business.

i

But Connor didn't back down, trying to see things from her perspective, "I get it, but what you need now is someone who can play the part in front of your family whenever. necessary. Don't you think I'øbe perfect for the role?"

"You?" Vivienne raised an eyebrow, wondering what he was getting at.

Connor's eyes twinkled with a hint of mischief, "We can't keep disappointing the old man, can we? Besides, if not me, your grandfather will just find someone else, won't he?"