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.

booth, they headed straight for

her nightly routine and was ready for bed. His message read, [Donald

on her tail; we need

few terse messages sent, Vivienne turned

The next day.

opened her eyes, Percival was already

immediately, [At seven sharp

"What happened?"

got out of bed

response to calls or texts. We've heard from the people watching Ramona's place that she's back from the suburbs, but there's still no word

ordered, "Alert everyone,

Order of Nine Mystics Society, search every nook of

afford to

Vivienne grabbed her gear and

out of the apartment, her phone

that came was chilling enough, [Next time,

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

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

The Ellington family.

from the other side came daily, as if certain he

morning, as Huxley was sneaking out like always, a delicate voice suddenly burst

Mara and breathed a sigh of relief, "You scared

should 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 Ellington family? There's been

for the right moment. When

mercy. If you have even a

with Wendy, always had the

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

courage to face Mara, "What are you thinking? How could