The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Before Leopold could utter another word, Abigail waved her hand, silencing him instantly.

"Today's my lucky day, so I'll spare your life. Just so you can watch as they fall one by one, becoming unwitting pawns in my grand scheme." Leopold's eyes bulged in disbelief.

If looks could kill, he'd have slain the wicked witch a thousand times over and fed her remains to the sharks.

Her grand scheme? Probably the delusions of a madwoman.

And eternal youth? Why didn't she just claim a throne in heaven if she was so capable!

Unfortunately, he was paralyzed, unable to speak a word.

If he could turn back time by just two minutes, he would warn Vivienne and Percival to flee. The witch was after their lives; escaping was their only chance to warn the others. Now, trapped, who would come to their rescue?

Before activating the ritual, Abigail conjured a wave of energy, filling the air with a thick, white mist. Everyone caught within struggled to breathe, and Leopold, previously glaring, passed out in moments. However, Vivienne and Percival, standing ten meters away, remained unaffected, watching coldly. Seeing Vivienne unaffected, Abigail's frustration grew. She increased her energy output, but to no avail. "This is impossible!" she exclaimed.

Vivienne dropped the act, "Nothing's impossible. I was never poisoned to begin with."

Suspicion flashed in Abigail's eyes, but she masked it with a smirk, "Not poisoned? Then why follow me?"

Vivienne's tone was calm, but her gaze was piercing, "I'm here not to be controlled by you, but to see how you bring about your own downfall."

If it weren't for Flynn's warning, she might have fallen into Abigail's trap, thinking the poison was in a pendant. But Flynn's reaction made her realize the poison was on him. Abigail had concocted various toxins, embedding them in Flynn's skin over time, creating a new, untraceable poison.

Flynn, the vessel for her to poison others.

lethal and without cure. The poison on Flynn's skin, however, caused disorientation,

harm

this during their treatment sessions, refusing her touch to spare her the same fate despite

his pain alone,

thickened, Percival shielded Vivienne, though they had

composure twisted into disbelief, "How are you not poisoned?

the moment Abigail appeared, Vivienne

not Delilah!" Vivienne

considered Delilah's ex-husband. My people following your breadcrumbs, would only be

simple interrogation revealed the

these details, focused on her goal, "He

launched an attack, but Vivienne countered, their energies clashing in

at Vivienne, "How

or maybe your ritual has no effect

the dots, her expression souring, "Are

look

suspicion and let out a

you couldn't target my mother back then is exactly because of

your so-called perfect sacrifice had two heartbeats. That's

her mother, Vivienne had

just before she was

had to be a compelling reason