The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Dusk was settling in, painting the sky in shades of deep purples and blues. In the midst of this twilight, a modest ranch-style house stood under the gentle caress of moonlight. In front of the house, several old and withered trees swayed in the breeze, casting eerie shadows that danced in the dark.

Inside, a man was bound by ropes, suspended in mid-air. His head hung low, devoid of any signs of life.

Suddenly, a bucket of boiling hot water was poured over him from head to toe.

"Ah! Ah! Ah!" The man screamed, his face contorted in agony, his skin scalding as if it were being cooked, blisters forming rapidly.

"You awake now?" The voice was chilling, menacing.

Percival, clad in a simple black tee that hugged his broad shoulders and outlined his muscular chest, stood straight with a leather whip in hand. His eyes glimmered with a ruthless intent.

The man caught in this torturous ordeal was Gavin.

With a fierce lash of the whip, Percival drew blood, marking Gavin's flesh.

Gavin barely managed a whimper, engulfed in his own hellish pain. He couldn't fathom why he was at Percival's mercy. He had anticipated Abigail's betrayal but didn't expect Percival to be the one executing the punishment.

His eyes, bloodshot, welled with confusion and pain as tears mixed with blood dripped down. "Wasn't it Abigail who wanted me dead?"

Percival rinsed the whip in salt water, cleaning off the blood. "It was Abigail who sent the hit, and as far as she's concerned, you're already dead."

Shock and disbelief filled Gavin's eyes as he struggled to speak. "What do you mean?"

filled with the thick scent of blood, an

in Abigail's hands. She would've given you a quick death, but not me. I'll make you beg for death,"

for Holly, isn't it? You're avenging

whip aside and wiped his hands with a wet wipe, his voice cold as ice, "Killing you won't

shouldn't have wronged Holly. I deserve

those final words, Percival drove nails into Gavin's wrists and ankles, blood spurting

him, and he passed

he'd heard. Despite knowing Abigail had sent another assassin for Gavin, her focus hadn't been on harming

Leopold arrived, Gavin was barely alive. It was

concerned, Gavin was already

head to the lab,"

Thomas nodded, driving off.

with

You've been a blessing to me and

knowing how much

room, Holly sat propped up against her bed,

hair, Holly's eyes welled with tears, "Victoria, you've grown so much. When I left, you were just

"Mom, finding you has been my only goal. Now, we can

as Percival and Vivienne entered. Holly's gaze locked onto Percival,

Holly," Percival greeted, his face alight with

Victoria told me everything. You and Vivienne went through so much to save me, even after I cut ties with