The Million-Dollar Heart (Percival and Vivienne)
Chapter 251

A flicker of darkness passed in Calista's eyes.

Damn that Vivienne!

She was always picking at her sore spots.

If she had known that Vivienne would pull out an Emperor Green worth a billion, she wouldn't have made this plan in the first place.

Judith, understanding what Vivienne meant, glanced at Calista and raised an eyebrow. "Oh? So it seems Vivienne did manage to unveil an Emperor Green, thanks to you." Calista's smile was stiff. "Judith, you flatter me. I can't take the credit. It's just that since Vivienne just returned to Rivenwood, I wanted to help as much as I could."

Judith gave her a meaningful look and said no more.

Vivienne followed Judith inside, then turned to Thomas. "Take the stone to my room."

"Yes." Thomas immediately ordered the large stone to be moved to Vivienne's room.

Mila, standing nearby, concealed a smirk. She turned to Paula, feigning confusion. "Why is Vivienne moving the jade to her room? Wasn't it bought with the Brooks family's money?" Paula's face darkened. She understood what Mila meant.

Enraged, she turned to Vivienne. "Vivienne! You're breaking the rules! You bought the jade with the Brooks family's money, so it should belong to the family. How can you keep such a precious jade for yourself?"

Vivienne, seated next to Judith, raised an eyebrow. Her voice was steady as she said, "What? You want to take it?"

"What are you talking about?" Paula frowned. "Why would I, as an elder, quarrel over something with you? Shouldn't you willingly hand it over?"

Before Vivienne could answer, Paula continued, "The Brooks family's money didn't just fall from the sky. This time you were lucky to uncover an Emperor Green with 30 million. But what if you weren't lucky? You would have lost everything. So, you must hand it over."

Vivienne laughed. Her laugh was dazzling yet dangerous, like a beautiful thorny flower. She turned to Percival, her eyes teasing and her voice coy. "Tell me, do I have 'big sucker' written on my forehead?" Percival's mouth twitched, and he cleared his throat. "You, Vivienne, are very pretty, and your face is very clean. There's nothing written on it."

Vivienne tilted her head as her gaze fixed on Paula. "Then it's strange! Why does it always seem like people think I'm an easy target?"

Paula slammed the table. A burning fury could be heard with every breath she took. "Vivienne! Is this how you treat your elders? You not only disrespect me, but you also dare to taunt me?"

She turned to Scott and spoke in an ice-cold tone. "Brother, is this your precious daughter? Look at her behavior!"

Scott frowned, his expression stern. "My daughter's behavior is not your concern, and it's certainly not your place to critique or educate her."

"Am I trying to educate her? I'm asking her to hand over what belongs to our family. She's just a country girl. Can she really hold onto the Emperor Green? Besides, this was bought with the Brooks family's money. Is there anything wrong with what I said?" Paula's face was pale with anger.

"That's enough!" Judith's face mirrored Paula's anger. "The money I gave to Vivienne is hers to spend as she pleases. I, as her grandmother, have no complaints. You, as an aunt who barely knows her, have no right to comment."

"Mother!" Paula shouted, "You're spoiling her. The stone is worth at least a billion. She will waste all that money. And remember, Vivienne isn't your only granddaughter. What about Kala and Ashley? When have you given them this much money?"

Paula pointed at Ashley.

"You just gave Vivienne a bracelet this morning, and then gave her 30 million in the afternoon. Look at Ashley; she only picked out a jade worth half million. Isn't that unfair?"

Ashley lowered her head in silence. She was a bit jealous, but she didn't want to compete with Vivienne.

At least since Vivienne had returned home, they had managed to get along well, unlike the irritating Arabella.

"You!" Judith was livid, and she slammed the table with rage. "What kind of nonsense are you spouting? Have I ever treated them unfairly in all these years? Whenever there is something good, don't I think of them first?"

"Vivienne has been wandering who knows where for nineteen years, enduring all kinds of hardships. We owe her. The 30 million is my compensation to her. Ashley and Kala have no complaints, but you, as an aunt, seem to have a lot to say!"

Paula was indignant. "Do you think I'm doing this for myself? Isn't it for our family? Without our family's30 million, how could she have gotten the Emperor Green which is worth a billion? Is it wrong for me to ask her to give it to us?"

"Who told you that Vivienne used your family's money?" Percival sipped his coffee leisurely as his deep eyes fixed on Paula.

Paula was stunned by his gaze, and she took a step back unconsciously.

Once she regained her balance, she frowned at him. "Not our family's money?"

"The stone, purchased by Vivienne, was paid for with Mr. Ellington's money." Ronald pointed out, much to Paula's disdain. Vivienne had just returned home, and while Paula might have been upset with Vivienne, it was unbecoming to push her so. After all, it wasn't easy for Vivienne to secure such a fine piece of stone, and yet Paula still wanted her to hand it over. Regardless of whether it was Vivienne's good luck or not, the stone, now in her possession, was rightfully hers.

The Brooks children often participated in auctions, and whatever they acquired was theirs to keep. There was no precedent of them having to give their winnings to the family. Paula's irrational anger towards Scott was now unfairly being redirected towards Vivienne.

"What?" Paula's face stiffened. "Mr. Ellington's money? How could it be? Where would you get such a huge amount?"

Sure, the Ellingtons were wealthy, and Percival had been set as Richard Ellington's heir, but he was a ne'er-do-well until recently. He was not known to have much money.

30 million wasn't something you could just pluck out of thin air. Especially since this money was supposedly used to buy the stone for Vivienne.

Percival set down his cup on the table, leaned back in his chair, and, with a casual lift of his eyes, said, "I wasn't aware that the Ellingtons were so poor that we couldn't spare 30 million."

The corners of the Brooks' mouths twitched.

If the Ellingtons were poor, then where did their family stand?

Paula was furious. "Stop playing games. I know the Ellingtons are wealthy, but that doesn't prove that you paid for it. How do we know you're not just saying this to help Vivienne?"

She was determined to make Vivienne hand over that stone.

Why should Scott's daughter be allowed to spend recklessly while her own daughter was suffering somewhere unknown?

Whether it was Scott or Vivienne, as long as they were unhappy, she was content. Their discomfort was her balm for the deep wounds she'd nursed over the years.