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,

an unseen corner, two figures

Rivenwood toll booth, they headed

Matthew's 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

tail; we need

sent,

The next day.

Percival was already gone from her

and a message from Matthew popped up immediately, [At seven sharp this

"What happened?"

Vivienne got out of bed

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 no word from

ordered, "Alert everyone, find Donald-dead or

"Issue the Order of Nine Mystics Society, search every nook of Rivenwood, including

couldn't afford to

Vivienne grabbed her gear and

phone vibrated. She checked it swiftly, not

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

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.

[Who dares to hurt mine will pay with

The Ellington family.

had 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

like always, a delicate voice suddenly burst

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

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

for the right moment. When

Vivienne's mercy. If you have even a shred of sibling love

up with Wendy, always had

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