The Million-Dollar Heart

At this very moment, even a brief second of tranquility was more than Ramona could bear.

She had been rattled to her core by the surveillance footage, tears streaming down her face as she screamed, "This is it! I've said all I can say! Please, please let me go! I haven't even started anything! It wasn't me who messed with your mom; it was all the Grimshaws. I was cornered. I was truly forced!"

Vivienne settled back on the couch, her gaze drifting lightly over Ramona. It was unclear whether she believed her or not. She crossed her legs and said nothing.

Percival had been silent since the beginning, his eyes only on Vivienne, not deviating in the slightest, playing the role of the devoted husband to perfection. Ramona's eyes flickered swiftly.

It seemed like a flash of resentment passed through them.

But it was so quick no one saw.

"Ma'am." Anna stood by her, Ramona's tireless voice echoing in her ears.

She turned a deaf ear, simply waiting for Vivienne's command.

It was hard to tell how much time had passed before Vivienne finally spoke indifferently, "Let her go."

The evening wind sliced across Ramona's face like a blade.

She sped along the freeway, scenes from the night's confrontation with Vivienne racing through her mind.

Her heart burned with fury!

If it weren't for the mission, if her meridians hadn't been altered, preventing her from using force!

She would've twisted Vivienne's head off herself!

on the road ahead, completely oblivious to the black car tailing her

unseen corner, two figures vanished swiftly into

passing the Rivenwood toll booth,

bed. His message read, [Donald is on it; the target is

her tail; we need to know who's behind

a few terse messages sent,

The next day.

her eyes, Percival was already gone from her

immediately, [At seven sharp this morning, we lost contact with Donald,

"What happened?"

out of bed

last night, but this morning, there's been no response to calls or texts. We've heard from the people watching Ramona's place that she's back from the suburbs, but there's still

ordered, "Alert everyone, find

the Order of Nine Mystics Society, search every nook of Rivenwood, including the suburbs. We must find

afford to

Vivienne grabbed her gear and headed

the apartment, her phone vibrated. She

came was chilling enough, [Next time, I won't go

to a post, strapped with the latest model of a time bomb-instead of gunpowder, the glass vials were filled with an unknown green liquid.

she replied, [Who dares to hurt mine will pay with their

The Ellington family.

But he hadn't kept his head down for long. Messages from the other side came daily, as if certain he posed no threat, urging him to proceed with the next

morning, as Huxley was sneaking out like always, a delicate voice suddenly burst forth,

and breathed a sigh of relief, "You scared me half to death. What are you doing up

felt like to be locked up by that maniac Vivienne? What have

rush? I'm waiting for the right moment. When it comes, you'll have your chance to

If you have even a shred of sibling love left, don't drag me down with you, or I

presence, Mara, having grown up with Wendy,

stared down by her, the naturally timid Huxley