The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Chapter 129

Arabella sat rigidly beneath the stage, completely at a loss as to how things had spiraled so disastrously out of control. It seemed that every time she made a move against Vivienne, things took a turn for the worst.

Elijah had suddenly been branded as a kidnapper and a fraud.

And she, as his apprentice… What would become of her?

She watched the angry crowd, trembling in fear of being swept away in their rage.

She tried to stay unnoticed, hoping to slip away in the chaos, but was confronted by a group of high school girls.

They hurled insults at her with scathing words.

“Arabella! Where do you think you’re going?! No wonder Elijah chose you as his apprentice; you’re both nothing more than scum!”

“Yeah, pretending to be all high and mighty because you’re Elijah’s apprentice, ordering us around like we’re your servants. You’re useless!”

In the blink of an eye, punches and kicks began to rain down on her. Once a brawl started, it was hard to stop it, especially when the crowd felt justified in their anger.

Each punch and kick was seen as a righteous act.

The mob’s fury was eventually subdued by the arrival of the police, who took Elijah away on charges of kidnapping and illegal confinement.

Once the chaos in the auditorium had subsided, the sound of soft sobbing could be heard from a corner.

Arabella’s long hair had been hacked off haphazardly, and her school uniform was torn to shreds, revealing her undergarments. Bruises covered her from head to toe, and her face was so swollen that it was hard to recognize her once beautiful features.

But no one paid her any attention or offered her any assistance. Once Elijah’s crimes were exposed, everyone remembered her past deeds.

importantly, she herself admitted that Beatrice had tested her and Vivienne’s talent in perfumery. She had claimed that Beatrice favored her because

was that

Vivienne lacked talent?

was the renowned Master

with a single perfume

she need to be jealous or seek Beatrice’s

had been

the apprenticeship, she and Elijah had teamed up to humiliate

liar who constantly tried to tamish her sister’s reputation did not

are you doing this to me?! What

Arabella angrily got to her feet, accusing everyone. ‘It was all Elijah’s doing! I’ve only been his apprentice for a few days.

to her, their faces

to bear this cold

on stage. Although a large group of people had rushed up to beat Elijah, the stage was in chaos, where she stood, everything was clean and orderly; even the bottles. and jars on her perfume table were still neatly arranged; not a single

word. She just watched coldly as Elijah was beaten into

she could have used her influence to rescue Riley

didn’t want to expose her own strength so quickly. Also, she wanted to use this scandal to help Riley and

she returned home and started investigating the potion issue, neglecting the siblings, which

that the deaf-mute girl, Riley, was Master Q’s apprentice, and all the perfumes that Elijah had

achievements, the siblings’ future

auditorium. “I’m here today to present my fourth

this, everyone was

returned to her perfume table and quickly

perfume enthusiasts, who were thrilled to witness the birth of a new

sitting in the jury box

were all stunned when the chaos ensued. They hadn’t expected a simple perfume competition to

had just praised from Elijah must have

Chapter 129

them feel sick to their

could he have the audacity

entirely focused on the new