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

unseen corner, two figures vanished swiftly

Rivenwood toll booth, they headed straight for the

just finished her nightly routine and was ready for bed. His message

[Keep on her tail; we need to know

terse messages sent, Vivienne turned

The next day.

Vivienne opened her eyes, Percival was already gone from her

a message from Matthew popped up immediately, [At seven sharp this morning, we lost contact with

"What happened?"

hesitation, Vivienne got out of bed and

with Donald 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 Donald-dead

the Order of Nine Mystics Society,

afford

her gear and

stepped out of the apartment, her phone vibrated. She checked it swiftly, not Matthew, not

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

the threatening words was a picture of Donald tied 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. The sender even had the audacity to include the address

fury as she replied, [Who dares to hurt mine will pay

The Ellington family.

regained his freedom after that interrogation. 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

morning, as Huxley was sneaking out like always,

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

Have you forgotten what it felt like to be locked up by that maniac Vivienne? What have you been

right moment. When it comes, you'll have your chance

remember this-I'm still at Vivienne's mercy. If you have even a shred of sibling love left, don't drag me down with you, or I

having grown up with Wendy, always had the

stared down by her, the naturally timid Huxley felt a chill at his core and involuntarily