The Million-Dollar Heart (Percival and Vivienne)
Chapter 124

In the living room, as Leopold settled onto the couch, his eyes fell upon a sealed glass bottle resting on the coffee table.

"What's this?" he asked, his curiosity piqued, as he picked it up.

"Hands off," Vivienne warned, reaching out to reclaim it. It was the concentrated Tranquil Aroma perfume essence, too potent to touch the skin directly.

But Leopold, known for his mischief, quickly hid the bottle, flashing a sly grin. His eyes darted between Percival and Vivienne, and he teased, "Let me guess, is it something naughty, like a slippery massage oil..."

Vivienne had initially ignored his jesting, but from the corner of her eye, she saw Cecilia, who had been pursuing Stella, returning alone. She attempted to retrieve the bottle from Leopold.

With a swift move, Leopold evaded her, accidentally tossing the Tranquil Aroma perfume out of his hands. It landed with a crash at Cecilia's feet.

Instantly, the strong fragrance filled the entire apartment, making it difficult for everyone to breathe comfortably.

Cecilia hesitated for a moment, then disregarded it, stepping over the broken glass and storming in, her voice accusing, "How could you... Achoo! Stella, she... Achoo! You... Achoo! Achoo! Achoo!" Before she could finish her sentence, the overpowering scent triggered five consecutive sneezes, leaving her eyes moist and red.

Vivienne, feeling an unexpected pang of guilt, glared at Leopold and handed Cecilia a few tissues.

Cecilia's nose was unbearably itchy; she didn't have the luxury to disdain Vivienne. Wiping her tears and nose, she asked between sneezes, "What is this... Achoo! ...smell?"

Finally unable to bear it, she ran away, sneezing all the way.

The four people left in the living room exchanged puzzled glances.

Percival had prepared himself for a day of incessant nagging from his mother, but a bottle of perfume managed to divert her attention. He decided that this was a great solution. He thought it was a fantastic item to have on hand. The next time his mother bothered him with trivial matters, he could just sprinkle it around the house.

And he should prepare some for Isolde too. Lately, his mother's repetitive complaints had been driving the poor girl crazy. She constantly complained to him about it.

Thus, an argument vanished into thin air.

Vivienne glanced at the time; it was already 11 A.M. Unusually enthusiastic, she suggested to Leopold and Thomas, "It's lunchtime. Let's eat together; I'll cook."

"Don't bother!" Leopold jumped up as if propelled by a spring, ready to flee.

"Ms. Hawthorn, I've already ordered food; it will arrive shortly. You don't need to trouble yourself," Thomas said, his face contorted in displeasure. He swiftly placed orders on the app, not paying much attention to the items, as long as something was ordered.

"Oh, really?" Vivienne looked disappointed. She wanted Leopold and Thomas to experience her improved cooking skills, but apparently, that plan was thwarted. "Well, maybe next time."

Leopold and Thomas exchanged a silent glance, relieved that they had escaped unscathed this time. They silently vowed never to approach Percival during meal times. It was too perilous.

Suddenly, they understood why Isolde, who had been so attached to Vivienne, hadn't come along with Cecilia today. The little girl was indeed clever; despite her young age, she knew how to avoid trouble. However, what surprised them was Cecilia's persistence. She regrouped in the afternoon and returned.

When Thomas opened the door and saw Cecilia, wearing a mask, walking in, the conversation in the living room ceased.

"Where's Vivienne?" Cecilia skipped the pleasantries and got straight to the point.

"Upstairs," Leopold kindly pointed the way for Cecilia.

Cecilia walked upstairs with determined steps to replace Vivienne.

Watching Percival's stern gaze, Leopold shrugged and explained, "Well, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law conflict has always been a timeless conundrum. You can't stop it."

He suggested with a grin, "If you're worried about your fiancée being bullied by your mother, why not go up and help?"

"I'm worried about my mother," Percival sighed, rubbing his temples. Vivienne could be a handful. Well, let his mother have a taste of her own medicine. He trusted Vivienne to handle the situation tactfully. In the fragrance lab, Vivienne, having finished her meal, had retreated to the meticulously organized room. Cecilia entered just as Vivienne was contemplating the freshly delivered Tranquil Aroma essence. Hearing the door open, she turned around.

Cecilia instinctively took a step back when she saw the perfume essence in Vivienne's hands. The morning's sneezing fit was still fresh in her mind, making her wary.

However, noticing her own hesitation, Cecilia quickly composed herself, standing tall and confidently stepping forward. She glanced at Vivienne's fragrance workstation, her curiosity piqued. Suspicious, she asked, "Do you really know how to blend fragrances?"

Cecilia hadn't come today to introduce Stella to Percival, as she had pretended. Instead, during a morning poker game, she had coincidentally encountered Stella and her mother, Mrs. Pembroke. Mrs. Pembroke was an old friend of Cecilia's. During their game, she casually mentioned Vivienne's audacious challenge against Elijah, acting as if it was a trivial matter.

Stella chimed in, adding that Elijah was an apprentice of the internationally renowned Master Q, and he held the title of The Perfume Prince himself. Stella couldn't fathom why Vivienne had challenged Elijah, considering his reputation and credentials.

Stella even showed her news articles about the incident. Indeed, the event at Cloudcrest High School's auditorium had made the headlines. Elijah's high profile and Vivienne's previous public exposure due to Arabella Hawthorn's accusations had quickly made it a trending topic on social media.

Elijah's numerous fans ridiculed Vivienne online, claiming she was overestimating her abilities. Even bystanders were doubtful about her skills. Facing the sly remarks from her friends, Cecilia grew increasingly furious.

This Vivienne was so clueless. She had grown up in a remote place and had never been exposed to the perfumery profession. Why did she think she could challenge Elijah?

If Vivienne were just a nobody, Cecilia might not have been so irritated. She might have found Vivienne's audacity admirable. But Vivienne was Percival's fiancée, and her actions reflected upon the Ellington family's reputation.

Cecilia's anger grew as she thought about it. She had even lost interest in the game and had decided to confront Vivienne and persuade her to replace a way to cancel the fragrance competition. Stella, who insisted on coming along, was with her.

"Vivienne, I heard that you've arranged a fragrance blending competition with The Perfume Prince Elijah at Cloudcrest High School next Friday?" Cecilia questioned coldly.

"Yes," Vivienne nodded. She had seen the news today, so she knew why Cecilia was asking.

Cecilia hesitated, considering how to persuade Vivienne to comply. Her eyes were suddenly drawn to a perfume bottle inside the glass cabinet.

"Is this... the discontinued Oriental Night Fragrance?!"