The Million-Dollar Heart (Percival and Vivienne)

Vivienne didn't bother with a reply; she simply lunged at "Delilah," foregoing her usual silver needles for a blast of her powers.

She had arranged for the Brooks family to be under protection, opting to only share the precarious situation with Leopold and Dorian. The directive was clear: if anything unusual happened, they were to whisk Cordelia and the others away to safety. That was precisely why she had signaled Mr. Wolf to head over. As long as Thaddeus was within their circle, he'd be safe.

However, she hadn't anticipated that Abigail would target Cordelia.

Dorian had always been particularly attentive to Cordelia. If she were in any danger, he would undoubtedly rush to her side.

Seeing Vivienne unleash her powers, "Delilah" couldn't help but smile smugly, her body effortlessly rising to dodge the incoming blast. "You're no match for me. Resorting to your powers is a death wish."

Vivienne's gaze was icy as she retorted, "And what if I add the Millennia Aegis into the mix?"

"Delilah" shot her a look of disbelief. "You've mastered the Millennia Aegis?"

As Vivienne attacked, the cold determination in her eyes was unmistakable. "You've been baiting me with that information, haven't you? Waiting for this moment?"

"Delilah" conjured a protective wave of light around her, yet the force of the energy made her stagger back.

Luckily, she had acquired a teleportation spell from the Wright family, allowing her to instantly move several feet away.

Steadying herself, "Delilah" looked at Vivienne thoughtfully, her smile widening. It seemed Vivienne's prowess only delighted her more.

"Excellent. It seems you've figured out how to wield it."

"The Grimshaw family, those fools, have guarded the Millennia Aegis for centuries without understanding its true purpose. Now that it's in your hands, you've saved me the trouble. I'll just take you with me, wait for Percival to show up, kill him right before your eyes, and my grand plan will be set into motion."

Hearing this, Vivienne's lips curled into a sneer of contempt. The notion of someone laying claim to Mr. Wolf's life was ludicrous on this earth. She would never allow it.

By now, Vivienne had grown tired of staring at a face so similar to Cordelia's. With a swift motion, she revealed Abigail's true face.

"Abigail, you really thought the Grimshaw family was oblivious to the artifact's purpose? You thought they were the fools, but you're the one being played." Abigail, who took great pride in her appearance, narrowly dodged the attack. Vivienne's words, however, left her genuinely surprised.

Vivienne's gaze was as piercing as when she first encountered Samantha's beautiful yet deceptive face. Physical appearances were never to be trusted. Just like the ancient warrior lineage of the Grimshaw family, Abigail was under the misconception that others were playing along out of belief in her tall tales.

In reality, they feared the power at her disposal and the ambition that could help them achieve their own goals.

"Do you honestly believe the Grimshaw family has spent centuries guarding the Millennia Aegis without understanding its true use?"

"They refuse to hand it over because they don't believe in your so-called grand plan. Instead, they fear you'll drag their family name through the mud."

With her true face revealed, Abigail dropped all pretenses, laughing wildly at Vivienne's words. "Those idiots, their limited understanding couldn't possibly grasp my vision. They'll thank me, worship me, for I will be the one true ruler of this world."

Vivienne watched Abigail's madness unfold, her smirk laden with mockery. "The world belongs to everyone. It has nothing to do with you, nor will it ever be yours to control."

"Abigail, your end is nigh."

Abigail's gaze shifted menacingly, her voice dripping with bloodlust. "Vivienne, whatever happens today, you are destined to be my sacrifice. This is your debt to me!"

"If not for your interference, my grand plan would have been in motion twenty years ago. Your mother is of no consequence now, and this time, no one will stop me from taking your heart."

Vivienne's expression darkened. "You dared to target my mother?"

Abigail raised an eyebrow, unphased. "Of course. Did you think I've been idle all these years?"

"If it wasn't for that moment of

carelessness on my part, you wouldn't be here today... but maybe

that's for the best. Now, your heart is

the perfect one for what I need

Young heart, young blood,

everything is just right."

Vivienne's voice was calm, but her eyes were searching, "You mean, you couldn't bring yourself to harm my mom because she was pregnant with me?"

Abigail raised her hand, signaling

she didn't want to continue this futile conversation, "There's no need for me to explain these things to you. All you need to know is that today you're definitely not making it out

alive." out

A chill ran through Vivienne's gaze, "We'll see about that."

Abigail Ephemeral let out a laugh, her amusement at Vivienne's statement dripping with sarcasm, "Really? After all this time, you haven't noticed that no one's coming to save you?" Vivienne looked up at her, silent.

Abigail continued, "I've put up a barrier around this place. They'd have to exhaust all their strength to break through, but what good would that do? By the time they get in, they won't be able to stop me."

"And you... you'll just have to watch as they die right in front of you, before you become the final, perfect sacrifice for my grand scheme."

Vivienne's eyes hardened.

No wonder Mr. Wolf hadn't responded. That was why.

With the situation changing, she had to make her move first.

If the truth about the child was exposed, it could lead to even more trouble.

She wouldn't give Abigail any chance to harm her child.

A fierce determination flashed in Vivienne's eyes as she threw silver needles, infused with her supernatural powers, aiming straight for Abigail's vital points. Sensing the killing intent radiating from Vivienne, Abigail's excitement only grew, "Vivienne, being a stepping stone for my grand plan should be considered an honor." Through several exchanges, Abigail was all defense, no offense.

Her goal was to stimulate her prey continuously before taking its heart, like a cat toying with a mouse.

Vivienne, timing her move perfectly, waited for Abigail to let her guard down. She concentrated all her supernatural power into her palm, ready for a killing blow.

But just as she was about to unleash her power, a crack suddenly appeared in the barrier of the room.

The next second, a shadowy figure burst through.