The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Huxley dashed toward Mara, who had collapsed on the ground.

Mara struggled to even lift her head, tears streaming down her face as she looked up at Huxley. "The Ellingtons bullied me! Vivienne... she stepped on my back, I think she broke my bones! And she slapped me, my face is all swollen. Huxley, please, we need to get out of here!"

Her sobs were relentless, her hands gripping Huxley's arms as if he were her lifeline.

Huxley's eyes flickered with a hint of disgust and calculation. From the moment he entered and saw Mara's condition, he knew their plan had failed. Their attempt to sabotage Nathan had obviously been exposed.

Mara, always the weak link, how could she be his sister? Now, she was nothing but a burden, forcing him to clean up her messes. Watching her cry, Huxley felt an overwhelming sense of annoyance. It was clear they could no longer stay with the Ellingtons, but the show must go on.

Crying out, he lamented, "Aunt Cecilia, you've never treated us like family, letting Vivienne treat my sister like this. If you're all so fake, then we don't want to stay in this house anymore!"

"Let us go now. I need to get my sister medical help. If she's paralyzed, I swear I won't let this go!"

His voice was weak; they were truly in a dire situation. If not for Mara's current state, he would never dare to speak up like this.

If Cecilia hadn't taken one of Vivienne's calming pills, she might have fainted from anger by now.

the opportunity to vent, kicked Huxley with all his might, shouting, "If it weren't for Cecilia's kindness, you two would have nowhere to go! Ungrateful dogs! And now, you have the nerve

contorting in agony as

screamed even louder when Huxley lifted

have to let us go!" Huxley insisted, sweat

of authority unmistakable as he approached, "The

smiling, but his eyes

chill down his spine, holding Mara even tighter, not

gaze fixed on Huxley and Mara, her

shrank further into Huxley's

they found nothing, Vivienne, always sharp, understood the implication. The drug had been

smirked, not worried.

and with precision, discovered the

the shower drain, its content meant to erase Nathan's memory of the night's

Percival emerged, Mara knew their scheme was fully exposed. She

Mara, "Daring, aren't you? Attempting to drug my father and erase his memory? Do you

ground. She whimpered in pain, her body