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.

couldn't discern

or bone modification, yet whose facial features and bones didn't match,

suspicions were correct, then this person's age could be far beyond his

Finnian asked, "What about the body? Did you find it? The array consuming her would only absorb her blood and vital essence, but the

hadn't called back yet, which meant

This was her concern.

teleportation ability, and the array was her creation,

way to

body with their

magical artifacts are often tricky; breaking them usually requires a death." Vivienne bit her lip and looked up at her

his tea, staring

Millennia Aegis is

the situation with the

Abigail and Delilah that disappeared; the Millennia

why the array

"This..."

mouth, eventually sighing, "That

Vivienne, "..."

it. What really got her master worked up wasn't the situation itself, nor concern for her safety, but the loss of the Millennia

for a moment, "Are you suspecting Abigail might use the

"Abigail and another person, Delilah, entered the core of the array together. I suspect Abigail might sacrifice someone else to ensure

Vivienne: "Not yet."

array, even if she used someone

looked up to

currently, there's nothing

Plus, with Abigail severely injured, she'll

It's unlikely

herself for a while."

looked towards Finnian's head, suddenly changing the subject, "Weren't you just suffering from internal

night, did you?" Finnian's face turned awkward, as embarrassed as one could be, "It's those boys'