The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

The Boyd family was in complete disarray after Vivienne walked out the door.

Wendy collapsed in a faint, while Teresa, Nancy, and their daughters, were terrified, at a loss for what to do next.

The servants reacted first, calling the doctor and fetching clothes for the family.

Theodore and Hayden were livid with rage when they returned and saw the chaos.

Nobody had expected Vivienne, the girl from the countryside, to be so ruthless - not only had she set a pack of wolves on them, but she had also chopped off Wendy's hand.

How on earth did she manage to get a wolf? And how did she have the power to control the wolves? Wendy was right; Vivienne was dabbling in dark arts! By the tTheodore and the others were dressed, the doctor had finished treating Wendy.

Theodore rushed to meet the doctor.

“Dr. Marcus, how’s my mom doing?” Theodore asked.

Dr. Marcus was the Boyd family’s private physician. Given the circumstances, they could not exactly broadcast their problems, so they called him.

“Madam Wendy received timely care; her life is not in danger. She just needs plenty of rest to recover,” Dr.

Marcus replied.

“And her hand... Is there any chance it can be saved?” Theodore pressed.

Dr. Marcus pondered momentarily before answering, “My skills are insufficient to reattach it. In fact, there's no hospital in the country capable of such a feat, but...” x] He paused, then continued, “There is someone I've heard of, the Specter Healer, who is said to have the skill to reattach limbs. There was once a man paralyzed for ten years whom he helped to stand again with just a few needles. However, the Specter Healer is elusive - finding him may be next to impossible.” Hayden chimed in, “I've heard of the Specter Healer too. They say he’s over a hundred years old and possesses exceptional medical skills, capable of not only reattaching limbs but also of snatching lives back from the jaws of death. If we could get him here, it would not only save Mom but also benefit the Boyd family greatly.” Dr. Marcus shook his head. “Specter Healer is quite unpredictable, and he doesn’t treat just any patient.” Teresa scoffed. “What are you saying? If we offer him a high enough price, why wouldn't he be interested?” To her, whether Wendy's hand could be reattached was irrelevant - the old lady was in her twilight years anyway.

But the Boyd family still relied on Wendy's guidance, and losing her influence would be detrimental to their standing in Sea City, a prospect Teresa found unacceptable.

If word got out that it was Vivienne, Wendy's granddaughter-in-law, who had maimed her, it would not just be Vivienne who suffered the repercussions; the entire Boyd family would be tarnished.

Dr. Marcus gave Teresa a look that bordered on pity. “With the Specter Healer’s reputation, even when the royals of Flence Country offered him a fortune, he did not acquiesce. Countless wealthy families in Veridia have offered tens of billions to secure his services, only to be turned away based on his whims. Do you really think he’s short on money?” Specter Healer was his idol, and he would not stand someone disrespecting him.

Teresa was taken aback, feeling annoyed. “He's just a doctor, after all. Billions? As if he’s skind of deity. If he doesn’t want to come, we don’t need him!” Dr. Marcus's expression darkened. “Since Madam Wendy is out of danger, I'll take my leave. Oh, and by the way, I'll resign from my position as your family’s private physician starting tomorrow. You might want to look for a replacement.” Theodore’s face fell. “Dr. Marcus, why resign so suddenly? My mother still needs your care. You've been with us for so long, and we've treated you well. It doesn’t seem right to just leave like this.” Dr. Marcus was silent for a moment before responding, “Mr. Theodore, | mentioned the Specter Healer out of respect for you, but | did not expect your wife to disparage him so. Since your family looks down on doctors, | no longer wish to stay.” As Dr. Marcus turned to leave, Teresa snapped, “If you want to go, then go! The Boyd family can find another doctor easily enough! Not only are you dismissed, but I'll also ensure you can’t find work in this field as long as the Boyd family has any say. No hospital will dare hire you!” “Shut up!” Theodore roared at her.

Teresa retorted, “Am | wrong? Who is he to talk tolike that? To see a doctor is one thing, but why put up with such insolence? What use is he to us?” Dr. Marcus gave a cold laugh and left without another word.

Theodore was furious, ready to lash out at Teresa, but Hayden held him back. “Theodore, now's not the tto fight. We need to figure out what to do about this situation.” Nancy, who had been silent, finally spoke, “What else can we do but call the police? Vivienne has done us so much harm; if we don’t report her, aren't we just letting her off easy?” “Bullshit!” Hayden cursed. “If we could have gone to the police, do you think we would have waited this long without taking action?” Vivienne was too sinister. From the moment she claimed her position as head of the family to the day she chopped off Wendy's hand, she acted without fear as if the police meant nothing to her.

The Boyd family had managed to keep their stronghold in Sea City through the years, though their hands were far from clean. They were still puzzled about Vivienne’s true intentions, and going to the police was out of the question. If Vivienne were to expose something that could ruin the Boyds, the risk was too significant.

Nancy had cto the sconclusion, feeling a knot of frustration tightening within her. “That wretched girl has played us, yet we're powerless against her.” “I've got plenty of ways to deal with her, but the real issue at hand is, what do we do about Mom’s hand?” Theodore said gravely.

For now, they had managed to keep the lid on the incident, the outside world oblivious to the turmoil in the Boyd family. If word got out that the matriarch had lost her hand, there would be those who would dig deeper, which would spell trouble for the Boyds.Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates...

“What else is there to do?” Nancy snapped back, irritation lacing her voice. “The hand is gone. Are we seriously considering shelling out a fortune to reattach it?” “Bang!” Before Nancy could finish her sentence, Wendy, using her one good hand, grabbed a cup from her bedside and hurled it at Nancy, bellowing, “You ungrateful wretch! I'm not dead yet, and you wantto give up on treatment? If | fall gravely ill one day, will you be the one to suffocate me?” Nancy's face flickered through shades of emotion before she replied with a forced smile, “Mom, that’s not what | meant. Dr. Marcus did say there's only one person who can reattach your hand, the elusive Specter Healer. But there's no guarantee we can find him!” “We'll find him even if it seems impossible,” Wendy retorted coldly. “If Specter Healer can mend bones, he can fix my disability, too. I've heard about the Frostfire Intelligence Agency; they take on the toughest jobs. Place an order with them, and make sure they find Specter Healer.” With Wendy’s command, her sons naturally agreed, “Yes, Mom, we'll track down Specter Healer.” Only Teresa and Nancy wore expressions of uncertainty, their thoughts unreadable.

“As for Vivienne!” A sharp glint flickered in Wendy's eyes. “Once my hand is healed, | will make sure she pays.”