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

corner, two figures

passing the Rivenwood toll booth, they

Matthew's message came through, Vivienne had just finished her nightly routine and was ready for bed. His message read,

tail; we need

terse messages sent,

The next day.

Percival was already

message from Matthew popped up immediately,

"What happened?"

Vivienne got out of

voice was a bit 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 heard from the people watching Ramona's place that she's back from the suburbs,

ordered, "Alert everyone, find

the Order of Nine Mystics Society, search

couldn't afford

grabbed her gear

phone vibrated. She checked it

enough, [Next time, I won't go easy

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

shrank with fury as she replied, [Who

The Ellington family.

finally 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

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

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

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 take

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

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

of presence, Mara, having grown up with Wendy, always had the upper

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