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!

malice, focused on the road ahead, completely

two figures vanished swiftly

the Rivenwood toll booth,

message came through, Vivienne had just finished her nightly routine and was ready for bed. His message read, [Donald is on it; the target is moving towards

[Keep on her tail; we

terse messages sent,

The next day.

Vivienne opened her eyes, Percival was already gone from

Matthew popped up immediately, [At seven sharp this morning, we

"What happened?"

got out of bed and called

rushed but composed, "I was in contact with Donald last night, but this morning, there's been no response to calls or texts. We've

ordered, "Alert everyone, find Donald-dead or

quickly, then dialed Draven, "Issue the Order of Nine Mystics Society, search

couldn't afford to

grabbed her

the apartment, her phone vibrated. She checked it swiftly, not

the text that came was chilling enough, [Next time, I won't go easy on

model of a time bomb-instead of gunpowder, the glass vials were filled with an unknown green liquid. The sender even had the audacity to include

she replied, [Who dares to hurt mine

The Ellington family.

other side came daily, as if certain he posed no threat, urging him to proceed with the next step. "Stop

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

to see Mara and breathed a sigh of relief, "You scared

arms crossed, stepped forward, "I should be asking you that. Have you forgotten what it felt like to be locked up by that maniac Vivienne? What have you been up to these days, sneaking around? Didn't you say you were going to

for the right moment.

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

having grown up with Wendy, always had

by her, the naturally timid Huxley felt