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.

heat of summer could penetrate

of stillness,

not hear anything outside her darkness. She relied on touch to find something to eat when

and it took Diana a while to adjust and recognize the figures before

stood up, mouth agape, but no sound

at Karen

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

pushed her back, protecting

shook his head, realizing just how deep Diana’s

these years, but our bond is broken. I

patted Karen’s hand, signaling

had no desire to engage with the madwoman

putting an end to it all. He had truly loved Diana as

had

eerie laughter filled the room, reminiscent of a deranged spirit from

you talk to

bring prosperity to the Perez family? Or that this adopted daughter would bring

your righteousness! You’re nothing but a hypocrite! You adopted me with ulterior motives, and now you preach about

is that I didn’t finish you off that day. If I had, there would be

Diana one last look, then silently walked away with

I adopted Diana and Willa, especially with

did you adopt her in the first

said, “Diana was the child of one of my men. Her parents died in the line of duty, and I initially planned to send her to an orphanage

realizing how the threads of fate entwined. “I don’t remember how I felt

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

could I

you’ll always be a

his daughter and said,

looped her arm through Jasper’s, “Yes, and I’m

pair shared a knowing smile. In their world, there was no room for regret.

not the

masters of their destiny, never allowing