The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Chapter 141

N&S Psychiatric Hospital in Havenwood was steeped in urban legends. It was said that than of the patients locked within its walls were not just mentally ill but dangerous criminals who, due to their psychological conditions, could not be incarcerated in a regular prison.

Even the doctors and nurses who work there have been known to fear some of the patients. Aside from confining them within the hospital, they seldom exerted further control. In fact, if was rumored that staff members had been killed by patients on occasion.

Now, Arabella found herself in a truly terrifying situation. Surrounded by five menacing men, she screamed out in fear. Kicking the brooding figure who grabbed her, she scrambled to her feet and took off running.

She dashed down the corridor, passing many patients who were wandering aimlessly, engaging in bizarre behaviors that marked them as anything but normal.

Some patients ignored her, others beckoned her to join their games with eerie grins, and some lunged towards her with twisted faces and terrifying shouts.

The commotion of her footsteps and screams woke the sleeping patients in nearby rooms. Lights flickered on one by one, revealing dozens of mentally ill individuals who emerged to either observe her with indifferent eyes or leer at her with unsettling smiles.

The man chasing her, a rather large individual, was still bellowing behind her, demanding that

she become his wife.

“Open up! Hurry! Open the door!” Arabella fled back to the main entrance, but she had previously locked the small door in her panic. She banged on the security office window, shouting for help, but the room inside was pitch black, void of any sign of life.

Terror gripped her, causing her body to tremble as she broke down into a fit of desperate crying.

She made another frantic call to the police. Before the operator could even respond, she cried out, “Why haven’t you sent anyone to save me yet?! I’m at N&S Psychiatric Hospital! Please! Send someone to help me!”

Just as she finished her plea, the large man caught up to her once again. She spun around and dashed away, darting around the hospital like a scared animal, playing a horrifying garne of hide-and-seek with her pursuer.

In her desperation, she attempted to call the Hawthorn family for help. She reached out to Joseph first, but was promptly declined. The same happened when she tried to contact Michael and Beatrice. All of them had switched off their phones.

The chilling automated message, “The number you are trying to reach is currently unavailable,” sent a shiver down Arabella’s spine.

Who else could help her?

Suddenly, she saw Dorian’s name in her contacts, and a spark of hope ignited within her.

Yes, she still had a foster father. She still had a dad.

Dorian would surely come to her rescue, just like he did the last time.

answered the phone. She dismissively refused to believe Arabella’s plea for help, accusing her of

to her aid again, no matter the circumstances. She had squandered all the

Arabella felt herself teetering on the brink of

she spotted a man sitting on a bench in the deserted corridor. He had shaggy hair, wore black-rimmed glasses, and was dressed in a hospital gown. He was absorbed in a

Corpus” on the

books must have been

tugging at the man’s clothes. “Someone

glance at Arabella, who was not dressed in the usual patient attire.

waltz into.”

saw the door open, so I ran in to hide. I didn’t know this was a mental hospital.” Arabella cried

peculiar.” The man mumbled, his eyes hidden behind his glasses,

My wife!” The large man’s voice grew

hand trembled as she

clothes.

it.” The man kindly pointed to a room across

Arabella hesitated.

single room. There’s nobody strange inside.” The man reassured her in

thank you.” Arabella muttered her

hid inside, listening as the large man’s heavy footsteps approached. He queried the bespectacled man.

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Chapter 141

skipped

with the

Arabella’s heart settled.

her run… run this way.” The large man gnawed on his fingers, his anxiety mounting as he started to yell and cry. “I… I want my wife! My wife…

lips, signaling for silence before gently coaxing

large man, seemingly a bit scared of him, stopped his tantrum and

listened closely as the two men’s footsteps receded. Their search took them to various places. The corner with a giant potted plant, the cabinets in the main hall, and the stairwell. Each time, the bespectacled

his fingernails bloody from his anxious gnawing. He looked ready to start yelling

silence again before suggesting,

afraid

heard their footsteps growing fainter,

temporary sanctuary. The room was clean, and the bed was neatly made with sheets that

table beside the bed was stacked

Now, she was safe. She pulled out her phone,

understand why they hadn’t shown up.

towards Cordelia. She’d answered her call only to cruelly reject her, giving her hope and then snuffing it out.

what if she’d

or Vivienne this way? In the end,