The Million-Dollar Heart (Percival and Vivienne) novel Chapter 140

As Cordelia picked up her phone, she was baffled to see Arabella's name flash on the screen. A surge of anger welled within her, but she answered the call anyway.

Arabella's sobbing voice filled the air around the phone. "Dad! You need to come and save me! I've been locked up..."

"What? Are you trying to set your dad up again using the same old trick?" Cordelia interrupted her as a bitter laugh escaped her lips.

Arabella seemed taken aback on the other end of the line. "Mom..."

"Don't call me mom. I can't bear the weight of it." Cordelia retorted coldly. "Your dad is still bedridden due to your antics. What are you scheming this time?"

"No, mom, it's different now. I'm really in trouble." Arabella's voice was filled with desperation, and her breath was heavy as if she were on the run.

But Cordelia was not about to be fooled again. Even if she believed Arabella, she wouldn't bother to help. Her heart was already battered and bruised.

Cordelia cut Arabella off in a stern tone. "Arabella, the biggest regret your dad and I have in this life is adopting you. Now that we've severed ties, please stop bothering us."

With that, she ended the call with a harsh click and followed Michael's lead by switching off Dorian’s phone.

Even turning off Dorian's phone wasn't enough. She turned off her own too.

The mere thought of Arabella made her sick.

...

East District.

Arabella wasn't lying to Beatrice. She had been trying to contact the mysterious man since that day.

Unfortunately, as soon as their plot to frame Dorian was exposed, that man and his gang disappeared without a trace.

Left with no other choice, she had to track Elijah's lawyer in an attempt to find him.

She believed if the man had gone to the lengths of hiring a lawyer for Elijah, he wouldn't abandon him. He must still be in touch with the lawyer.

But to her dismay, she lost track of Elijah's lawyer upon reaching the East District.

It was already late, but she thought about how those people had been hiding in the most chaotic part of the East District, Urban Village. So she decided to try her luck.

Little did she expect to be targeted by three thugs not long after she entered Urban Village.

They stalked her to a secluded grove, where they began to make their move.

One of them blocked her path and smirked. "What brings a pretty little thing like you to such a dangerous place at this hour, huh?"

Startled, she heard another one say, "What else could it be? She's probably lonely and looking for some fun."

The remaining one reached out to grab her. "Well then, we'll keep you company tonight."

"Get lost!" Arabella shrieked, dodging his hand.

"You ungrateful wench! You'll regret it!" One of the men snarled.

Instinctively, Arabella turned and ran. She blindly dashed into the nearby woods, dialing 911 as she ran. "I need help! Three men are trying to rape me!"

"Ma'am, can you please provide your exact location?" A dispatcher replied urgently.

Another patient, awoken by the commotion, began to wail.

Arabella stayed still under the bed, baffled at the lack of staff intervention in this bizarre private hospital.

"Bride, bride, bride!" The fat man's voice grew louder. "I saw you come in here!"

Annoyed, one of the patients suggested, "Did you check under the beds?"

Arabella's heart pounded in her chest. The next second, the fat man's drooling face appeared under the bed, reaching out to grab her.

She let out a piercing scream, attempting to back away, but was caught off guard by another man on her other side. He dragged her out into the open.

She was tossed onto the cold floor. Using the dim light provided, she managed to make out the faces of four other men in the room.

One had a crooked eye and a twisted mouth.

Another had a menacing look in his eyes.

One was constantly muttering gibberish under his breath.

The only one who seemed somewhat normal was brandishing a crude knife that was carved out of wood. He sneered at her. "Looks like a tasty morsel."

The chubby, cross-eyed man quickly intervened. "No, no way; she's my gal! You can't have her!"

The brooding man chimed in. "What a waste it would be to devour her straight away. It’s much better to have some fun first, then eat."

Arabella was trembling. Under the glaring light, she could clearly see the words "N&S Psychiatric Hospital" on their hospital gowns.