The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Kaitlyn stared in bewilderment at the ancient-looking sheet of paper in Vivienne's hands.

It was filled with neatly penned recipes for potions, some familiar and some utterly foreign to her. The ink script was delicate and refined as if it could only have been penned by a character straight out of a period drama. The paper itself looked like something from a bygone era, rough around the edges as if it was crafted with antiquated methods.

Blinking back her confusion, her mind whirred back to life. Suddenly, it clicked. "You mean to say we swap this fake recipe for my parents' ashes?"

Vivienne nodded while Anna flipped through the recipes, puzzled. "But will this really work, Ms. Vivienne? What's this recipe even for?"

"It's something I got from Brody. It's not highly toxic; at worst, it'll give someone the runs if they take it over a long period."

Vivienne guided Kaitlyn back to the living room, massaging her temples that throbbed with the day's tension. "Gavin might not even know what the real recipe is. Oliver Grimshaw would never come to collect it himself. This decoy is the perfect bait."

She paused, a sly glimmer in her eye. "Besides, we don't have to rely solely on this 'recipe.' I've got a backup plan."

"A backup plan?" Percival settled beside her. He caught the cunning in Vivienne's gaze and knew instantly what she was planning. "Are you sure she's trustworthy?"

He had not a shred of fondness for anyone from the Abernathy family, even if the person in question was his aunt's daughter!

Vivienne patted his hand soothingly. "There's only one way to find out, right?"

She pulled out her phone, quickly found Victoria's number, and without hesitation, sent a text that read: [Your mother's with me. Meet at Aurora Mountain Villa in one hour.]

"That's that. Now, we wait." Closing her phone with a snap, Vivienne stood up, linking arms with Percival. "Let's catch some Z's for an hour. Anna, give us a shout when Victoria shows." Anna nodded. "Will do."

to Matthew. As his physical exhaustion took hold, all he could think

you any trouble, just knock them around a bit," Matthew said

door closed behind him

clueless. "They're not actually going to mine coal,

to," Jerry said, watching the others disappear behind a door. He shook his head, deciding not to burden Percival with the details just yet. Leading the way out, he ignored Anna's probing

later. For now,

glanced around, her anxiety subsiding only

serene gaze. Her tense muscles relaxed at the thought. She didn't know why Vivienne would trust Victoria, but it Vivienne believed in

twisted the hem of her shirt in her hands, lost

ticked away, the doorbell of Aurora

her sandwich. Her eyes sparkled as she heard the commotion, quickly standing up with one

out here! What the hell

voice was coupled with a rapid thud on the door. Amid it, Thomas's voice tried to soothe, but Anna and the others in the living

was the first to snap to

Victoria?

didn't let her guard down. Peering through the digital peephole, she confirmed it was only Victoria and Thomas before opening the door, "What took you so long, Thomas?" "Vivienne! Get out here! I want

figure barged in, her

the door. "Got held up with Richard. The old man wanted me to tell Percival to come home for a visit. Once we got chatting, time just got away from us." "What's all this?" He gestured toward

said she needed her

spun around the room like a headless chicken. "Why are you stopping me? Vivienne

"Quiet!"