The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

At this very moment, even a brief second of tranquility was more than Ramona could bear.

She had been rattled to her core by the surveillance footage, tears streaming down her face as she screamed, "This is it! I've said all I can say! Please, please let me go! I haven't even started anything! It wasn't me who messed with your mom; it was all the Grimshaws. I was cornered. I was truly forced!"

Vivienne settled back on the couch, her gaze drifting lightly over Ramona. It was unclear whether she believed her or not. She crossed her legs and said nothing.

Percival had been silent since the beginning, his eyes only on Vivienne, not deviating in the slightest, playing the role of the devoted husband to perfection. Ramona's eyes flickered swiftly.

It seemed like a flash of resentment passed through them.

But it was so quick no one saw.

"Ma'am." Anna stood by her, Ramona's tireless voice echoing in her ears.

She turned a deaf ear, simply waiting for Vivienne's command.

It was hard to tell how much time had passed before Vivienne finally spoke indifferently, "Let her go."

The evening wind sliced across Ramona's face like a blade.

She sped along the freeway, scenes from the night's confrontation with Vivienne racing through her mind.

Her heart burned with fury!

If it weren't for the mission, if her meridians hadn't been altered, preventing her from using force!

She would've twisted Vivienne's head off herself!

Ramona's eyes were dark with malice, focused on the road ahead, completely oblivious to the black car tailing her closely.

In an unseen corner, two figures vanished swiftly into the darkness.

toll booth, they headed straight for the

finished her nightly routine and was ready for bed. His message read, [Donald is on it; the

her tail; we need to know who's behind

few terse messages sent, Vivienne

The next day.

her eyes, Percival was already

and a message from Matthew popped up immediately,

"What happened?"

hesitation, Vivienne got out of bed and

with Donald last night, but this morning, there's been no response to calls or texts. We've heard from the people watching Ramona's place that she's back from the

"Alert everyone, find Donald-dead or

the Order of Nine Mystics

couldn't afford to

grabbed her

the apartment, her phone vibrated. She checked it swiftly, not Matthew,

was chilling enough, [Next time, I won't go

model of a time bomb-instead of gunpowder, the glass vials were filled with an

with fury as she replied, [Who dares to hurt mine

The Ellington family.

long. Messages from the other side came daily, as if certain he

like always, a delicate voice suddenly burst forth,

Mara and breathed a sigh of relief, "You scared me half to death. What are you

be asking you that. Have you forgotten what it felt like to be locked up by that maniac Vivienne? What have you been up to these days, sneaking around? Didn't you say you were going to take over

the rush? I'm waiting for the right moment. When it comes, you'll have your chance to

"I don't care what you're planning, just remember this-I'm still at Vivienne's mercy. If you have even a shred of sibling love left, don't

having grown up with Wendy, always had the upper

timid Huxley felt a chill at his core and involuntarily stepped

face Mara, "What are you thinking? How could