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.

the Rivenwood toll booth, they headed straight

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

tail; we need to know who's behind

few terse messages sent, Vivienne

The next day.

Vivienne opened her eyes, Percival was

checked her phone, and a message from Matthew popped up immediately, [At seven sharp

"What happened?"

out of bed

been no response to calls or texts. We've heard from the

"Alert everyone, find

Order of Nine Mystics Society, search every nook of Rivenwood, including

couldn't afford to

dressed, Vivienne grabbed her gear and headed

she stepped out of the apartment, her phone vibrated. She checked it swiftly, not Matthew, not

the text that came was chilling enough, [Next time, I won't go easy on

a picture of Donald tied to a post, strapped with the latest model of a time bomb-instead of gunpowder, the glass vials were filled with an unknown green liquid. The sender even had the audacity to include the

pupils shrank with fury as she replied, [Who dares

The Ellington family.

after that interrogation. But he hadn't kept his head down for long. Messages from the other side came daily, as

was sneaking out like always, a delicate voice suddenly burst forth, startling

to see Mara and breathed a sigh of relief, "You scared me half

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

right moment. When it

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 drag me down with you, or I

terms of presence, Mara, having grown up with

naturally timid Huxley felt a chill at his core and involuntarily stepped back. Sᴇaʀ*ᴄh the (F)indNƟvᴇl.ɴet website

his courage to face Mara, "What are you thinking?