The Million-Dollar Heart (Percival and Vivienne)

Recalling Juliette's memories, it seemed Vivienne hadn't even had a chance to react when the Mayor cut her off mid-stride.

Squinting at Vivienne, the Mayor sneered, "Didn't see that coming, did you? Even after all this, it's your kids who are the most vulnerable. Hahaha, I told you no one could stop me!" His arrogant laughter only fueled Vivienne's rage, her aura intensifying around her.

Vivienne moved with such speed that she had the Mayor's throat in her grasp in an instant.

Gregg, standing nearby, made a move to assist the Mayor. But before his hand could reach its mark, Vivienne had him by the neck too.

The children had never seen Vivienne like this, Juliette especially.

Frozen, she stared at this unfamiliar version of her mother, "Mom, mommy."

As if snapped out of a trance by her children's call, Vivienne hesitated, momentarily forgetting the two men in her grip.

It was in this moment of vulnerability that Gregg saw his chance to strike at Vivienne.

Tears welled up in Juliette's eyes as she remembered, "Afterwards, although mommy wasn't hurt, she wasn't quite herself. A brilliant light wrapped around us, and then we all passed out."

Before losing consciousness, Vivienne had managed to shield her children, keeping them safe.

Listening to Juliette, Finnian's gaze landed on Vivienne, "If that's the case, she must be in a state of hibernation."

"Master, what do you mean by that?" Leopold, despite his age, had never heard of humans entering hibernation, except in certain circumstances?

"It's different from a coma," Finnian clarified, immediately seeing what Leopold was implying. "She entered this state after activating her powers, and it's very likely she's now in control of them. The red eyes, I assume, need no explanation?" "The fact she could revert at the last moment is commendable. Her body took in a tremendous amount of energy in an instant, which can cause backlash. Just let her rest for now; she'll wake up when it's time."

Finnian couldn't predict exactly when Vivienne would awaken; that was up to her own recovery process.

Catching this, Isaiah looked up hopefully at Finnian, "So when will mommy wake up?"

Finnian, unable to say for sure, patted the child's head affectionately, "Just be a bit more patient. Your mom will wake up once she's recovered."

Isaiah nodded, understanding. He and Juliette didn't leave the hospital, both unwilling to go back without Vivienne waking up.

Percival, seeing their determination, didn't press further, "Keep an eye on them here. The hospital has plenty of security. Report back to me immediately if anything happens."

"Got it, Percival." Leopold waved before turning to enter the hospital room.

A look of disdain crossed Percival's face as he glanced at Draven, "Where have the captives been taken?"

"To the dungeon in Luck Village."

"Let's go!"

The drive to Luck Village was quick, the village still casting a gloomy shadow as Percival stepped towards the dungeon.

The dungeon reeked, and at the very end, the sound of chains clinking could be heard.

"Let me out! This is unlawful imprisonment; do you want to end up in jail?!" The Mayor's wife's

shrieks went unanswered, thougbet

she clearly heard footsteps approaching, each step weighing heavily on her chest, making it hard to breathe.

Then, a pair of shoes appeared before the Mayor's wife. Following the shoes up, she met a pair of cold, lifeless eyes.

Panic set in, "What do you want? What are you going to do?!"

With a scoff, Percival signaled Draven to open the dungeon door.

The Mayor's wife, desperate, tried to

run, but Draven caught her by the hair with a fierce tug, eliciting a scream that echoed through the dungeon, sending shivers down the guards' spines.

"Thinking of escaping after all this? Where could you possibly run?" Percival lounged on a sofa, legs crossed, eyeing the Mayor's wife. Draven dragged her back to her spot, "Stay put!"

Percival, with an air of elegance, picked up a torture tool, examining it with interest.

The Mayor's wife's eyes widened in horror as she noticed the previously dark wall now adorned with various instruments of torture.

"Which one would you like to experience first?" Percival mused, his eyes dancing over whips, pincers, and finally resting on a stove with red-hot iron bars.

Just holding an iron bar close made the Mayor's wife's heart quiver in fear.

Percival's smile vanished as he approached her with the iron bar, her eyes wide with terror as it came inches from her skin, the sweat on her face evaporating in an instant.

"Are you gonna talk, or do I have to

make you?" Percival's voice was

cold, his tool inching closer to her with each word, until her back was

pressed against the chilling wall.

The cold seeping into her bones made her shiver uncontrollably, while the heat radiating from the iron bar in front of her felt like standing at the gates of hell. Draven, cleaning his switchblade, sneered, "You think dying will be easy? Not a chance. We'll make you suffer slowly until your last breath."

The mayor's wife knew this was no joke. Swallowing hard, she surrendered, "I'll talk, just tell me what you want to know."

But Percival was far from satisfied. "Tie her up!"

"Why are you doing this? I said I'd talk! Why are you treating me like this?" she protested, but her efforts were futile in front of these burly men. Soon, she was blindfolded and tied up, hanging in an unknown place, the sound of water ominously filling her ears.

When the blindfold was finally removed, the sight beneath her feet nearly made her faint.