The Million-Dollar Heart (Percival and Vivienne)
Chapter 104

Percival shot a glance at the reporter speaking to him.

The reporter was young. He was sporting a pair of black-rimmed glasses, and the moment his gaze met Percival's, he felt a chill run down his spine, making him step back instinctively. But when he saw Arabella's tear-streaked face and Michael writhing in pain on the ground, his sense of "justice" overpowered him. "What are you looking at? Did I say something wrong? I think Michael should go get his injuries checked out and sue you for intentional harm!" He blurted out.

Others chimed in. "Exactly. Those who abuse their power and oppress others will eventually get their just deserts!"

"Vivienne is such a letdown. The Hawthorn family raised her, and yet she let her fiancé drive them to the brink of bankruptcy. What an ungrateful brat!"

"We're definitely going public with what happened today. We want everyone to see your true colors!"

"I think they should publicly apologize to Hawthorn Group and compensate them for all their losses."

Arabella seized this opportunity. She fell to her knees and began begging Vivienne while sobbing. "Please, beg the Ellington family to spare the Hawthorn family! I'll take all the blame! Please! Do you really want to see the Hawthorn family go bankrupt to be satisfied?"

She lay on the ground as her voice choked with emotions, pleading over and over again. She looked like the wronged underdog.

But hidden from public view, her eyes showed an intense hatred.

Arabella's public kneeling and begging to Vivienne were not voluntary.

But no matter how much resentment she harbored for Vivienne or how much she didn't want to kneel in front of her, she had no choice but to do it.

Without the Hawthorn family, she would lose her support, so her ambitions and desires would be impossible to achieve.

After all, where in the world could she replace someone like Beatrice, who valued her, the adopted granddaughter more than her own granddaughter?

This was a hurdle she had to cross.

So, although she was unwilling, Arabella still kowtowed vigorously.

With each kowtow on the ground, she told herself, "Arabella, just endure this once. You'll get back double the humiliation you suffered today on Vivienne."

Vivienne hadn't said a word since the beginning. She just watched Arabella's performance with a smile, as if she were watching a hilarious comedy. She even seemed rather amused. Beatrice wouldn't be so foolish as to think that she could force Vivienne to spare the Hawthorn family by holding Thaddeus captive. Beatrice's strategy was to bind Vivienne with morality. Most people tend to sympathize with the underdog, regardless of right and wrong, and the underdog always has the upper hand in public opinion.

Now it seemed that she and Percival, even the entire Ellington family, were oppressing the weak with their power, while the sick Beatrice and crying Arabella were the oppressed.

If someone were to record the situation in the room and post it online at this moment, it would definitely spark a public outcry sympathizing with the weak and condemning the strong.

Anyone else would have surrendered under such family pressure and public condemnation.

Regrettably, she was Vivienne.

They misjudged her. She was not the kind to be easily bound by morality.

Especially when dealing with morally corrupt people.

Vivienne remained silent. She just wanted to see what Arabella would do if she didn't agree. Interesting, right?

She would watch them perform like clowns in front of her and then defeat them in the end.

"Vivienne! Are you really going to be this heartless?!" Seeing that Vivienne was still unresponsive, Arabella finally started to panic. She looked up; her smooth forehead was already reddened from kowtowing; she had tears streaking down her cheeks, and her hair was disheveled.

The onlooking reporters were all heartbroken and angrily started throwing insults.

"Don't beg her anymore. Can't you see? Vivienne is just a cold-hearted bitch!"

"Yeah, you're like this, and she can still laugh!"

"It's all my fault, not Vivienne's!" Arabella, while hating Vivienne in her heart, pretended to be flustered and shook her head frantically. Suddenly, she pulled out a knife and held it against her left wrist. "What car I do for you to spare the Hawthorn family? Can my death do it? Will it be enough if I die?!"

The reporters were horrified and quickly tried to stop her.

"Arabella, don't be impulsive!"

"Even if you hurt yourself, the ruthless Vivienne won't spare the Hawthorn family!"

"Arabella! Don't!" Beatrice also played along. Her eyes were wide open when she tried to throw herself onto the ground to stop Arabella, but she then conveniently fainted.

"Mom!" Joseph immediately held Beatrice, cried out, and then glared at Vivienne. "Vivienne, are you really going to push the entire Hawthorn family to death?!" What a serious charge.

Vivienne really laughed this time. "Continue."

Arabella was stunned. She didn't expect that Vivienne would still be unmoved, even at this point. Wasn't she worried that her reputation would be ruined?

And what about the Ellington family? It would definitely affect the stock price of the Ellington Group if people found out that Percival pushed his in-laws to ruin and death because of some sibling disputes.

When Richard said he wanted to pass the head of the family position to Percival, the other members of the Ellington family clearly showed their dissatisfaction.

If Percival, at this point, decided to mess with the Hawthorn family because of Vivienne, and it ended up biting the Ellington family in the ass and damaging the Ellington Group's reputation, it would be like he was placing a target on his back for others in the Ellington family to attack him. It may even block his path to becoming the next head of the family.

Did Percival seriously not give a damn?

Was he really that head over heels for Vivienne?

She looked up at Vivienne. She never thought there would come a day when she'd be lurking in the corner, watching Vivienne, someone she used to not give a second glance.

Vivienne was stunning. She was dressed to the nines and stood there, looking down at her with an elegant air.

And there she was, looking like a hot mess with no dignity to speak of, bowing down to Vivienne like some beggar.

Why? Why did the tables turn so suddenly between her and Vivienne? She took a nose dive from the top while Vivienne was shining brighter and brighter. What the hell went wrong? It was because of Percival!

Why did Vivienne get to be sheltered by Percival with no strings attached?

Why didn't Percival belong to her?

He was supposed to be hers!