The Million-Dollar Heart (Percival and Vivienne) novel Chapter 433

This bomb was nothing like the cutting-edge devices they'd encountered before.

This time, it was more intricate, more cunning, with an arrangement that was both deceptive and, upon closer inspection, almost childish.

Yes, that was the word—childish.

Atop the delicate balance lay a common spherical dog toy, the kind that shouldn't be nudged in the slightest. A mere touch could set the whole thing off.

But who the heck puts a dog toy on a bomb? Especially one that squeaks.

"Vivienne, what's the situation in there?" Percival could only peer through the crack in the door, unable to see the full picture.

Vivienne held a pair of scissors in her hands, the familiar sight of the wiring giving her a sense of déjà vu.

Percival, getting no response, called out again, "Vivienne?"

Vivienne shook the scissors, "All good."

She got down on her knees, scanning the rainbow of wires before snipping one decisively.

Tick!

The toy fell off the balance, rolling across the floor and ending up under the desk with a soft thunk.

"Come on in," Vivienne said, placing the scissors on the table.

The bomb wasn’t inherently difficult; it just appeared dazzlingly complex. In reality, it was still the red wire.

Percival entered, realizing he was sweating bullets. He had defused a thirty-second countdown bomb in his heyday without breaking a sweat, but this had unnerved him.

It wasn't until he heard Vivienne's voice that he understood just how frightened he'd been.

"It's not a new type of bomb, just an ordinary one with a fancy setup. Looks tough, but it's just a smoke and mirrors act."

Vivienne flashed a nonchalant smile at Percival, noticing the seriousness in his eyes and subconsciously suppressing a smirk. She looped her arms around Percival's neck, her alluring gaze warming him like the first ray of sun on a winter's day, "Mr. Wolf, what's on your mind?"

Percival pulled her into an embrace, burying his face in her neck, inhaling her reassuring scent.

Vivienne knew Percival was scared.

"It's not like we haven't been through worse."

The time Felix kidnapped the students from Class Eighteen had been far more harrowing.

A chill flashed in Percival's eyes, "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault." Vivienne gently patted his back, "This is the enemy's tactic. I've defused it, and this little trick wasn't going to take my life."

Percival knew all too well that Vivienne was the most intelligent woman on earth. And if anyone wanted to take her life, they'd have to get past him first.

But when Vivienne was truly in danger, his belief wavered with fear. This fear was instinctual, an innate dread of losing Vivienne.

They held each other tightly, their heartbeats slowly synchronizing.

Tick-tock... tick-tock...

An eerie ticking broke the silence in the office.

Vivienne's eyes narrowed as she located the source.

Percival crouched down, eyeing the spherical dog toy beneath the desk. It was now pressing on the actual bomb switch!

Suddenly, the supposedly defunct bomb activated a countdown, rapidly ticking down to single digits!

Even Vivienne and Percival were caught off guard, with no time to react.

"Vivienne, get out!" Percival shoved her towards the door and quickly locked the office behind him.