The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Wendy was the first to pick up her milkshake and take a gulp, setting off a reluctant chain reaction among the others. They had no choice but to follow suit and sip away.

It was not until the last drops of the milkshake were consumed that Vivienne stood up, flicking her wrist in dismissal, “That’ll do for today. Get some rest, folks. See you all tomorrow.”

With that, Vivienne and Percival left the Boyd residence and returned to the house Maddox had prepared for them to catch some sleep.

No sooner had they left than Wendy, forgetting her cane, bolted to the bathroom and began to hurl.

The other Boyds followed suit, much to the dismay of the household staff, who pinched their noses in disgust.

It was revolting.

To have so many people retching at once was unheard of, and Yannick even spewed on Wendy’s beloved woolen rug.

Already, the house was tainted with the smell of barbeque and smoke, and now this collective upheaval of recently chewed food added insult to injury.

The odor was insufferable.

The Boyds spent a grueling half-hour vomiting before they finally collapsed back onto the couches, utterly spent.

The once prized woolen rug had been relegated to the trash, a sight that made Wendy’s heart ache.

Theodore, drained and pale, leaned on his wife’s shoulder, still dry-heaving.

Teresa, repulsed, shoved him away. “Get off me. You stink of decay. It’s disgusting.”

Theodore weakly slapped Teresa, not because he could not bear to hurt his wife, but sheer exhaustion. “You wench, you think you smell any better?”

“You dare hit me? Believe it or not, I’ll divorce you for this!” Teresa howled, her voice nearly giving out from the strain.

Dehydrated and powerless, no one had the energy to argue further.

of water from

the second son who had been silent until now, finally spoke up. “Mom, if you hadn’t eaten so much, we wouldn’t have followed suit.

chimed in. “I gave you so many glances,

really think I wanted to eat that

others were taken

her mother. “What do

just you. I didn’t want to eat either, but my hand acted on its own, reaching

sob. “Dad, could it be we’ve been

Teresa and Yannick felt similarly manipulated. Teresa confessed, “It was indeed like being possessed. I moved

to Hayden, frightened. “Don’t scare me,

Vivienne is,” Wendy reminded them

arrival in Sea City, Wendy had thoroughly investigated Vivienne—or so she thought. What she found was likely only what Vivienne wanted

in Havenwood before going to Rivenwood. Maybe she picked up some dark arts

all people, would fall for a country girl. She must have bewitched

nausea. “Some backwater girl

however, sensed something amiss. “She’s just a girl. Even if she learned something, it couldn’t be that powerful. The real masters are all over fifty. There must be

her be with Percival, or who knows how much he will suffer.” Mara pressed, her lips thin. “Plus, Gillian is a far better match for my

Boyds agreed with Mara’s

him to Gillian Ashford and cement an alliance between the Boyd and Ashford families. No matter how far Vivienne and Percival had

and

“What did you do to make

hour, making them do as they wish. I

ruffling Vivienne’s hair with pride.

where the servants had everything prepared for a restful

button by the bed, and we’ll be at your service. We won’t disturb you any further—have a good rest,”

as she scurried off, as if she could not bear to delay

Percival exchanged

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