The Million-Dollar Heart (Percival and Vivienne)
Chapter 220

Ever since she became the heiress of the Brooks family, Arabella had been showered with flattery by men. She was blinded by this and started to genuinely think that she was irresistible, forgetting that these

men were drawn to her due to the power and influence of the Brooks family.

If she were just Arabella Hawthorn, neither Tristan nor Paul would have bothered to glance at her.

"Arabella, you're the reason I'm like this. I won't let you get away with it." Tristan's icy gaze sent shivers down Arabella's spine.

Her legs were weak, and she could barely stand. She slowly retreated, but she suddenly felt a foot heavily pressed on her back.

"Where do you think you're going, my cousin?"

Arabella looked back in fear, only to see Ashley standing at the door with several muscular men.

Ashley watched Arabella with a look of disdain, unable to comprehend how someone could be so shameless. Even after being exposed, Arabella still refused to admit her wrongdoings.

"Tristan, help me. Please!" Arabella turned to Tristan, pleading for his help.

"Oh, didn't you know?" Ashley chuckled lightly. "These men work for your dear Tristan."

As Arabella was dragged away, Calista entered.

Like a drowning woman grasping at a lifeline, Arabella reached out and clung to Calista's sleeve. "Calista, please help me!"

Calista looked at the fingerprints left on the place where her clothing was pulled, her eyes showing disgust.

Tristan gave an order, and the man holding Arabella mercilessly broke her fingers. Arabella's screams echoed through the entire floor.

Calista, as if she hadn't heard, just lowered her head to examine Tristan's body.

Ashley merely turned to Tristan and asked, "Where are you taking her?"

"To where she belongs." Tristan replied coldly, clearly not wanting to discuss the matter further in front of Calista.

...

After examining Tristan, Calista left.

And Tristan's eyes lingered on Calista.

Ashley couldn't help but mock him. "Don't bother. You're not in Calista's league."

Tristan knew this all too well. Even before he was injured, he wasn't worthy of Calista. The truth stung, but he could do nothing but accept it. Ashley sneered, leaving the hospital room without looking back.

As she passed by Calista's office, she saw her talking on the phone. Ashley nodded at her, and Calista nodded back before Ashley walked away. "Mom," Calista said slowly, holding her phone and watching Ashley's retreating figure. "Did you see the news about the Brooks family?"

Her mother's voice came through the line, sounding both proud and aloof. "Yes. How's Scott doing?"

"He's taken it hard," replied Calista.

A moment of silence passed before her mother replied. "I'll be in Havenwood for a concert in a few days. We should meet."

"Sure." Calista agreed and ended the call.

Her parents had been in a loveless, arranged marriage and parted ways when she was ten. Despite being raised by her father and seeing her mother infrequently, she felt a closer connection to her mother. It wasn't until she met Percival that she understood why her proud and haughty mother had pined for a man for decades.

Meanwhile, Dorian received calls from Michael and Joseph. Unaware that Dorian's family had moved to the luxurious Jade Garden Residences, they visited his old address at Tranquil Estates, only to replace him absent.

They were seeking him out for money.

The ruse that Beatrice and Arabella had pulled off, forging paternity tests to fool the Brooks family, had been brought to light. Consequently, Scott had ceased paying for Beatrice's medical expenses and pressed charges against her.

Now, in one fell swoop, Beatrice and her two children had gone from living in the lap of luxury to barely scraping by. They were so destitute that they couldn't even cover Beatrice's medical bills, so they had to throw away their dignity even more to try and impose upon Dorian.

"Tell them that we cut ties a long time ago!" Cordelia was fuming. "When they came to your hospital room asking for money, I told them they could sue us. Whatever the court orders, we'll pay!"

As for the notion of them visiting Beatrice in the hospital and taking care of her...

That was nothing but a pipe dream.

"Since you guys replace them so irritating, let's send them back to the sticks." Percival placated. "Don't worry, I won't let them bother you."

Just then, his phone rang. He glanced at it and walked into the yard to answer.

"Percival, our target got taken by Tristan's crew before we could get her." Thomas informed him.

"Oh, how did that go?" Percival asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Tristan sold her to a human smuggler who deals in trafficking women to the Golden Triangle." Thomas continued, "Arabella was tied up and gagged as soon as she was brought on board because she was causing a scene. She'll likely spend the rest of her life enslaved in the Golden Triangle."

Percival's eyes flickered. Tristan was indeed quite ruthless.

"Let him be. Remember, I don't want this woman coming back."

"Understood." Thomas hung up.

"Talking about Arabella?"

Percival turned around and saw Vivienne standing behind him. Her hands were tucked in her pockets as she observed him.

"Vivienne." He reached out to pull her closer, lowering his head to nip at her earlobe as he softly asked, "Why did you let Arabella impersonate you?"

She was the golden girl of the Brooks family. She could go back anytime she wanted and live in the lap of luxury.

Given Scott and Judith's adoration for Arabella, if Vivienne returned to their family, they would only shower her with more love and admiration for her talent and abilities. But she didn't go back.

Instead, she let Arabella impersonate her and run wild.

Vivienne's eyes flickered.

Before her mother's wedding to Scott, she had suddenly run away, likely sensing some danger.

She didn't know whether this danger was external or lurking within the Brooks family.

So, she let Arabella play her role to see if any unidentified people would try to approach Arabella.

If Arabella wanted the glory of being the Brooks family's golden girl, she would have to bear the risks as well.

Unfortunately, Arabella was useless. She couldn't even hold out for two months and didn't replace out what Vivienne wanted to know.