The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Mara finally came to, her return to consciousness accompanied by the cold, hard reality of the floor beneath her and an awkward blush creeping across her cheeks.

Vivienne, having just finished checking Karen’s pupils for any irregularities, heard Mara stir and casually tossed her a smartphone.

“Didn’t forget our chat from last night, did you?”

Mara pushed herself upright, a thread of hope in her voice. “So, if I help you out, we’re square?”

Vivienne chuckled while adjusting Karen’s blanket, her gaze still fixed on Mara. “You should get it straight, Mara. You’re helping yourself.”

Mara paused, the warning in Vivienne’s words chilling her to the bone. She dropped to her knees, desperation quivering in her voice. “Vivienne, please, I’m begging you. Save my brother. I’ll do anything, work day and night, anything at all. I had no choice!”

Vivienne perched herself on the edge of Karen’s bed, her eyes dancing with amusement at Mara’s plea. “And what exactly can you offer me in terms of service?”

Mara bit her lip, words failing her.

Compared to Vivienne, she felt utterly powerless.

Watching Mara’s flustered attempts at negotiation, Vivienne lost interest in prolonging the conversation. “Keep your nose clean, follow my instructions, and once your treatment is done, I’ll see to it that you keep your life.”

Mara’s tears, unbidden, streamed down her face. “My brother’s stuck in some godforsaken asylum in M State, Vivienne. It’s a loony bin! For the love of all that’s holy, he never did you wrong. Please, get him out. He’s all the family I’ve got left in this world!”

Vivienne nearly laughed at the absurdity of it all.

What did that have to do with her?

Was she expected to forgive and go out of her way to rescue Huxley just because he’d never crossed her?

Ridiculous.

Disinterested, Vivienne’s voice turned icy. “Do as I say, or not even you will make it out alive.”

With those final words, she stood and left the room.

Mara slumped to the floor, a portrait of despair.

If Gillian found out she had betrayed her, Huxley’s fate was sealed. Yet, failing to comply with Vivienne meant her own demise.

a rock and a hard

watching the drama unfold with a

dire straits, shouldn’t self-preservation come

Willa couldn’t understand it.

choosing between her own life and Sasha Perez’s, she would save

having been kicked out

Percival grovel. She wouldn’t be cast aside after all she had suffered to

her

up, “Boss,

“It’s Mara.”

sank. “What do

“I… I killed someone.”

again?” Gillian scoffed. “You, a killer? If you had the guts, you wouldn’t be in this

sobs, Mara insisted. “I’m serious! It was Karen, Vivienne’s mother. Boss made me do it. What now? I’ve pinned it on Aaron, but Vivienne will trace

demanded, “You

lie? If Vivienne catches me, you’re

Mara

contact immediately, “Boss, I shouldn’t disturb

voice interrupted, “Mara killed

aloud. She double-checked the

was a

Gillian pressed, “Who are you? Where’s the

worry about who I am, Gillian. Your mission

ended, and before Gillian could process what had

on the floor, sparking and hissing

phone was beyond repair; its insides turned to

sweat

this it? Had she been

Panic set in.

her house, unsure

she couldn’t be a castaway

resolve, Gillian stormed out, driving off into the

Vivienne, “Young Master, Gillian’s on the move, and her phone’s out of commission. No trace of

“Her destination?”

his tablet, Draven replied, “Judging by the GPS, she’s headed to the

Linklater Mansion? What could Gillian be