The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Willa's cheeks flushed a deeper shade of red as she listened.

Without waiting for any further discussion about the wedding plans, she hurriedly made her escape.

Before Maddox followed her, he gave Vivienne a quiet thumbs-up, "If this wedding pulls through, you're the hero we celebrate."

Vivienne chuckled, "If Uncle Maddox and Willa really tie the knot, I'm all for taking the credit."

But she wasn't exactly lying earlier. Willa always dressed in dark colors, but with her naturally pale skin and raven-black hair, red would only make her look more striking.

In the backyard.

Finnian had just returned from the foyer when he saw Vivienne sitting at the outdoor stone table, clearly waiting for him.

Frowning slightly, he couldn't help but nag, "Young lady, you know your condition and yet here you are sitting outside in the night air. Aren't you worried about your fiancé fretting over you?" Vivienne poured a cup of tea and pushed it across the table, not intending to drink any herself, and tilted her chin up, "Mr. Wolf is making me a midnight snack. He'll be here soon." Finnian, "..."

Maybe he was the one worrying too much.

After all, if his apprentice set her mind to something, not even her doting fiancé could stop her, let alone her old master.

Sitting down, Finnian took a sip of the warm tea before speaking, "What's up?"

"Abigail has disappeared."

Vivienne's tone was calm, but Finnian nearly jumped, his eyebrows knitting tightly, "Disappeared? Didn't you capture her after injuring her?"

"To be precise, she was consumed by a magical array, becoming its first sacrifice. We didn't even get a chance to intervene."

Vivienne was telling the truth.

Finnian was stunned.

He could hardly believe that Abigail's fate would end like this. During their encounter, he had sensed that Abigail's magical energy was formidable, especially the unique power within her, which was higher than he had anticipated. But there was one thing.

discern

yet whose facial features and bones

for him, and if his suspicions were correct, then this person's age could be

"What about the body? Did you find it? The array consuming her would only absorb her blood and vital essence, but the body couldn't have

yet, which meant they hadn't

This was her concern.

and the array was her creation, so escaping at a critical moment wasn't

only way to

Abigail's body

even if she's still alive, she'd be barely hanging on. Arrays powered by magical artifacts are often tricky; breaking them usually requires a death." Vivienne bit her lip

tea, staring at Vivienne in

Aegis is

the situation with the

wasn't just Abigail and Delilah that disappeared; the Millennia Aegis, which they

the array dissipated

"This..."

sighing,

Vivienne, "..."

really got her master worked up wasn't the situation

to think of something, pondering for a moment, "Are you suspecting Abigail might use the Millennia Aegis

of the array together. I suspect Abigail might sacrifice someone else to ensure her own safety." Finnian stroked his beard, "Has

Vivienne: "Not yet."

by the array, even if she used someone as a shield, Abigail couldn't

looked up to

currently, there's nothing that can repair

with Abigail severely injured, she'll likely hide and heal

unlikely she'll

herself for a while."

instinctively looked towards Finnian's head, suddenly changing the subject, "Weren't you just suffering from internal injuries? Why's your head

middle of the night, did you?" Finnian's face turned awkward, as embarrassed as one could