The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Vivienne pushed open the heavy iron gate, rubbing her arms.

Though the sun was shining bright outside, the place seemed to cast a chilling shadow over everything.

“Mom, Grandpa, are you sure you don’t need me to come with you?” Vivienne asked.

Jasper shook his head. “No need, sweetheart. Your mother and I can handle this. You just wait here, okay?”

Vivienne nodded, watching Karen and Jasper disappear through the doorway.

She settled back into the car and began to nibble on a strawberry cheesecake.

As Karen pushed open the door, a nauseating stench hit her full force.

The person inside, hearing the noise, slowly turned her head.

Her hair was a tangled mess, unwashed for days.

Stains marred her clothes, and her bare feet were caked in dirt.

The source of the foul smell was clear—it emanated from her.

Jasper sighed deeply at the sight. “Diana…”

The person trapped here was, indeed, Diana!

After the cliff side explosion, Diana had been rushed to the hospital. Once she survived, the Perez family had locked her away here.

The villa might have looked like a luxury home, but it was more akin to a prison cell.

It had everything—a complete set of furniture.

But the all-black decor and the perpetual darkness turned the spacious abode into a haunted house.

There were no lights, no windows, and even the walls were painted black.

not even the heat

torment of stillness, existing was

daily, only to ensure Diana remained alive. Unaware of time or place, she could not hear anything outside her darkness. She relied on touch to find something to eat when hunger

sudden light was blinding, and it took Diana a while to adjust and recognize the

stood up, mouth agape, but no

at Karen and

seemed like an eternity, she suddenly charged at them, screaming, “I am the only daughter

pushed her back, protecting her

shook his head, realizing just how

all these years, but our bond is broken. I can never forgive you. Stay here and fend for

hand, signaling it was

no desire to engage with

an end to it all. He had truly loved Diana as his daughter, never allowing her

their relationship had

to leave, Diana’s eerie laughter filled the room, reminiscent of a deranged spirit from a

talk to me about

someone said adopting a child would bring prosperity to the Perez family? Or that this adopted daughter would bring blessings to your

a hypocrite! You adopted me with ulterior motives, and now you preach

that I didn’t finish you off that day. If I had, there would be no Vivienne, and I

turned back, giving Diana one last look, then silently walked away with

they’re probably rumors she overheard. Many couldn’t understand why I adopted Diana and Willa, especially with so many kids at home. Rumors spread, and I thought she was educated enough not to believe them.

was curious, “Dad, why did you adopt her in the first

looking at Karen, and said, “Diana was the child of one of my men. Her parents died in the line of duty, and I

of fate entwined. “I don’t remember how I felt back

regret had no place in Karen’s world. Even picking up a proverbial wolf in sheep’s

could I possibly

you’ll always be a wolf to

at his daughter and said, “Vivienne

arm through Jasper’s, “Yes,

their world, there was no room for

Karen, and Vivienne—they were not

destiny, never