The Million-Dollar Heart (Percival and Vivienne)
Chapter 156

Arabella's face fell.

Was she being dismissed as a dog?

With a cold gaze, she looked at Thomas. "And who are you to stop me?"

She tried to open the car door on Percival's side and reach for his hand.

In the past, she would never dare act this way towards Percival, but now, as a member of the Brooks family, she had the confidence to do so, believing that Percival would respect the Brooks family's name. Her courage had grown considerably.

However, as soon as her hand touched the car door, it swung open from inside, and she was kicked away by Percival.

Arabella fell to the ground, feeling as if every bone in her body had been broken. With tears in her eyes, she looked at Percival.

"Arabella!" Tristan, furious, rushed over to attack Percival. "You dare hurt her?! I'll kill you!"

But before he could even touch Percival's suit, the men who had beaten Paul earlier stepped in his way, pinning him down.

"Percival! Fight me one-on-one if you dare!" Tristan's face was distorted with anger as he was pinned to the ground, still yelling.

Percival didn't so much as give him a glance. He casually adjusted the cuffs of his suit, speaking to Thomas in a detached tone. "The car's dirty. Get me a new one."

Thomas nodded. "Yes." He then took out his phone and called for another car.

Soon, a new car arrived.

Percival, holding Vivienne's hand, got into the car. He glanced at Thomas. "If you can't handle this, go to Fariana Isle!"

Thomas shuddered. "Yes."

He immediately called for a tow truck to take away Arabella's sports car, with Paul still in it.

"What are you doing?" Arabella, shocked, tried to stand up despite the pain. "This is my car!"

"There's still someone in the car!" Paul also cried out in fear, struggling to jump out.

The tow truck driver paid them no mind and drove towards the scrapyard.

"Percival!" Arabella realized Percival's intentions and immediately put on her usual pitiful act. "You've gone too far!" Vivienne hadn't seen Arabella's victim act in a while and found it somewhat novel. She watched her for a while longer.

Percival didn't even bother to look at her.

Thomas drove the car into the school, leaving Tristan, who was still yelling on the ground, in a cloud of exhaust fumes.

In the school's parking lot, Thomas reported the information he had gathered to Percival.

"A month ago, Beatrice suddenly approached the Brooks family, saying that Arabella is the daughter of the Brooks family's head, Scott Brooks. The Brooks family, upon receiving the news, immediately sent people to bring Arabella to Rivenwood."

"Scott? I thought he never married. Where does this daughter come from?" Percival frowned.

"Scott had a girlfriend whom he loved very much over a decade ago." Thomas answered. "They were about to get married when she suddenly left him. Scott has been looking for her ever since, but to no avail. Later, he found Arabella, who turned out to be his daughter with that woman."

"Are we sure she's his biological daughter?" Percival leaned back in the leather seat, his fingers drumming on the window.

"They did a paternity test." Thomas said, "With Arabella's abilities, it's unlikely that she could have tampered with the results under the watchful eyes of the Brooks family in Rivenwood."

Vivienne sat quietly on the side.

The Brooks family?

Interesting.

No wonder Arabella was so confident today. She had become the heiress to one of the Four Prominent Families of Rivenwood, the Brooks family.

"Spread the word about all the things Arabella did in Havenwood to the Brooks family." Percival ordered. "Every noble family there needs to know. We don't need to save dignity for the Brooks family." Thomas immediately carried out the order.

They had thought that after being humiliated by Percival at the school gate, Arabella would be too ashamed to return to school. Surprisingly, she was unbowed, bypassing the hospital and going straight to school after Tristan was released by Percival's men. By the time Vivienne and Percival entered the faculty office, word of Arabella's return had spread throughout the school.

And Arabella had made a grand entrance, parading around as the heiress of the Brooks family, with Tristan acting as her bodyguard.

Vivienne had heard a bit about Tristan from Thomas. Supposedly, he was once a street kid, saved by Scott's missing girlfriend, and later adopted by the Brooks family.

Therefore, Tristan felt indebted to Arabella's mother and pledged to protect Arabella forever when she was found. He followed Arabella like a guardian angel.

No matter what outrageous act Arabella committed, he not only turned a blind eye but even helped her out.

Vivienne initially didn't care. As long as Arabella and Tristan didn't mess with her, she couldn't be bothered to give them the time of day.

But come afternoon break, Vivienne and Percival happened to pass by Arabella's classroom, replaceing a crowd gathered around. Coral was in the center, her eyes red and a handprint visible on her left cheek. Arabella was nestled in Tristan's arms, crying as if her heart would break, weakly accusing Coral amid her sobs. "Coral, I've let bygones be bygones; why are you still against me now that I'm back?" And she seemingly appeared more pitiful than Coral, who'd been slapped.

Without thinking, Vivienne knew this was Arabella retaliating for Coral previously helping her.

She walked up to Coral and asked, "Who did this?"

Coral remained silent, her furious yet somewhat fearful gaze fixed on Tristan.

Vivienne looked up at Tristan.

The sight of Percival behind Vivienne reminded Tristan of the humiliation he'd just suffered and the resentment he harbored for being held down.

He guessed that Percival's pals must be lurking nearby, so he held back his anger, simply stating to Vivienne with a frosty face, "She just knocked Arabella down. I was merely disciplining her."

He didn't believe he'd done anything wrong. "If you teachers can't keep your students in line, then it's up to us relatives to protect our own."

"I didn't!" Coral clutched her swollen cheek as tears welled in her eyes. "Arabella fell on her own and blamed it on me!"

"You liar!" Tristan said coldly, "Arabella's arm is injured! Besides, why would she frame you?"

"Are you saying Arabella hasn't framed people before?" Vivienne shot a meaningful look at Arabella, who was nestled in Tristan's arms.