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.

his might, shouting, "If it weren't for

pain, his face contorting in agony as he struggled to

even louder when Huxley

go!" Huxley insisted,

the air of authority unmistakable as he approached, "The Ellington family decides who

was smiling, but his

down his spine, holding Mara even tighter, not

the wall, her cold gaze fixed

further into

to Percival that they found nothing, Vivienne, always sharp, understood the implication. The drug

smirked, not

the bathroom, and

its content meant to erase Nathan's memory of

their scheme was fully exposed. She

you? Attempting to drug my

Mara could respond, Huxley dropped her to the ground. She whimpered in pain, her body a mess of