The Million-Dollar Heart (Percival and Vivienne)
Chapter 27

Nighttime at Hawthorn Mansion.

The banquet kicked off at eight.

Vivienne and Dorian rocked up at half past seven to Hawthorn's crib.

The mansion front was jam-packed with luxury cars.

In the hall, Arabella was looking all dolled up in a custom dress, sipping red wine and mingling with the guests. With her chin up and chest out, she wore a confident smile, looking every bit the rightful heiress of the Hawthorn family.

As soon as Vivienne and her crew stepped in, Arabella spotted them. She walked over, wine glass in hand, and greeted them with a warm smile. "Dad, Mom, Vivienne, you made it? Come on in, the guests are almost all here."

In a very hostess-like tone, she added, "I hope you brought your appetites tonight."

Dorian frowned, his face looking a tad sour. Was she implying they were poor and couldn't afford good food on the regular?

Cordelia didn't look too pleased either, but she kept her mouth shut.

Arabella turned to Vivienne with a smile. "By the way, sis, Mr. Ellington will be joining us tonight."

Vivienne raised an eyebrow, "So what?"

"Mr. Ellington is really into you. He wasn't planning on coming, but he changed his mind when he heard you'd be here." Arabella kept her polite smile, looking like the perfect sweet, well-mannered girl in everyone's eyes.

"I see," Vivienne replied nonchalantly. "Are you jealous or something?"

"What?" Arabella was taken aback, not getting the implication at first.

Vivienne smirked, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "If you fancy him, I can totally step aside!" Arabella was taken aback, barely holding her composure. "You can't just make things up." She liked Percival? What a joke! That worthless man was nowhere near her league! "If you don't like him, watch your words!" Vivienne said calmly, her eyes narrowing slightly.

A fleeting look of spite crossed Arabella's eyes, but she quickly regained her composure.

Vivienne gave her a quick glance and decided to ignore her, turning to join Dorian in greeting some acquaintances. Just as she turned away, a mature-looking girl walked up to her, gave Vivienne a once-over and sneered at Arabella, "Who's she? Your friend? Why would she come to Octavia's birthday party dressed like this?"

This girl was Michael's daughter, Alisa. She had been staying at her grandpa's during her visit, so she didn't know Vivienne and thought her outfit was too plain.

Vivienne glanced at her own outfit - jeans, white tee, sneakers. What was wrong with that?

"Alisa, watch your mouth. She's your cousin," Arabella whispered to Alisa.

Alisa gave Vivienne a disdainful look. "So you're Dorian's long-lost daughter? Not as impressive as I thought. How could you snatch Arabella's fiancé? What were you thinking?"

Alisa mostly lived with her grandpa, so she wasn't very familiar with the Hawthorn family affairs. But she admired Arabella, seeing her as a celebrity - gentle and generous.

And she was suppoed to marry into the Ellington family! So what if Percival was a loser? The Ellington family's reputation was a golden ticket, and if Arabella could marry into it, she'd be set for life.

Who would've thought that Dorian would replace Vivienne and the Ellington's engagement would fall upon her? It pissed her off to no end.

Vivienne just got back and she was already stealing Arabella's fiancé. How could she tolerate that? She definitely wouldn't stand for it.

Hearing this, Arabella's face blanched and she quickly tried to stop Alisa. "Alisa, that's enough! Mr. Ellington was originally my sister's fiancé. She didn't steal him."

Alisa thought Arabella was just too afraid of Vivienne to speak up, so she said righteously, "Arabella, even though you're adopted, you're still a Hawthorn. And you're even better than the real Hawthorn's daughter. You don't have to be afraid of her, and you should pursue your own happiness. Mr. Ellington was originally your fiancé."

The moment these words left her mouth, Dorian and Cordelia's faces fell. Vivienne, on the other hand, looked intrigued, eyeing Alisa.

Everyone around them started throwing them odd glances. Arabella's face turned sour instantly. Alisa, that idiot! Did she really have to remind everyone that she was adopted in front of all these people? And also, who would want to marry that good-for-nothing Percival! She was so outrageously stupid!

But Arabella couldn't let it show. She could only laugh it off and explain, "You misunderstood. I have no interest in Mr. Ellington..."

Before she could finish, Alisa cut her off, "Stop defending Vivienne. I know you're just afraid she'd get mad, but I'm not! Arabella, today I'm gonna help you fight for this engagement."

Arabella was so angry she almost bit through her back teeth. "I don't need..."

Just as she was about to speak, Coral chimed in, "Yeah, Arabella, you're so much better, why should you be scared of a country bumpkin? She just got back and she's already stealing your fiancé, who knows what she'll steal next. Everyone's here today, we must make her give back your fiancé."

Coral had previously set up Vivienne for a fall, and boy, did she get reamed out by her folks when she got home. Normally she'd dodge Vivienne like the plague, but seeing Arabella all upset, she couldn't help but stick up for her.

Everyone, just like Alisa, thought Percival was a good-for-nothing, but his family was loaded and his grandpa doted on him fiercely. Marrying him would mean getting most of the Ellington family fortune. How sweet a deal was that?! And it got snatched away by Vivienne?

Just because she was from the Hawthorn family? No way, Jose!

"No, Vivienne didn't..."

Arabella was fuming and about to explain when Vivienne cut in with a smirk, "Oh? You wanted to marry Percival? Why'd you tell me you didn't like him when I asked?"

"I didn't..."

Arabella tried to get a word in, but Vivienne wasn't having any of it. "Like I said, if you want to marry him, he's all yours..."

"No! I don't want to marry him!" Arabella blurted out in a panic, her voice several decibels higher.

Quite a few heads turned their way. Arabella felt a wrenching sense of injustice, her eyes welling up with tears. "Alisa, Coral, drop it already. I don't want to marry Mr. Ellington and Vivienne didn't steal my fiancé."

She felt utterly wronged. When did it get so bad that she could hardly get a word in? Alisa and Coral kept interrupting her, thinking they were doing her a favor, and drew everyone's attention. She'd be livid if they messed up Vivienne and Percival's marriage speaking on her behalf.

Yet, to Alisa, Arabella's distressed state was all Vivienne's doing. So she marched up to Vivienne, seething, "Stop threatening Arabella. What makes you so high and mighty? Just because you're from the Hawthorn family? What do you have that Arabella doesn't?"

"Arabella is the talk of the town in Havenwood. She's a renowned talent, a Cloudcrest High School graduate, Dr. William's apprentice, and she even saved Mr. Ellington's sister the other day. Everyone in Havenwood is talking about her. She's both beautiful and kind. What gives you the right to fight her for a fiancé?"