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.

couch, accepted a glass of water from a

the second son who had been silent until now, finally spoke up. “Mom, if you hadn’t eaten

gave you so many glances, but you just kept eating, forcing us

sighed. “Do you really think I wanted to

were taken

looked at her mother. “What

didn’t want to eat either, but my hand acted on its own, reaching for food and bringing it to

“Dad, could

“It was indeed like being possessed. I moved when Vivienne moved and ate uncontrollably even though I was

shuffled closer to Hayden, frightened. “Don’t scare me, not this late at

Vivienne is,” Wendy reminded them

thoroughly investigated Vivienne—or so she

before going to

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

nausea. “Some backwater

sensed something amiss. “She’s just a girl. Even if she learned something, it couldn’t be that powerful.

be with Percival, or who knows how much he will suffer.” Mara pressed, her lips thin. “Plus, Gillian

Boyds agreed with

with the Boyds’ intentions for inviting Percival to Sea City—to marry him to Gillian Ashford and cement an alliance between the Boyd and Ashford

back at their villa, Vivienne and Percival were

curious about Vivienne’s earlier antics. “What did you do to make Wendy

making them do as they wish. I simply enhanced it

hair with pride. “Look at

making their way into the villa, where the servants had everything

is missing, just press the button by the bed, and we’ll be at your

a knowing look, her smile broadening as she scurried off, as if she could not bear to delay whatever

exchanged

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