The Million-Dollar Heart (Percival and Vivienne)
Chapter 291

In front of Richard, she could not show any discontent. She put on a forced smile and said, "I must have been mistaken. Vivienne's medical skills are indeed beyond common reach." Even she would have to weigh her options about whether she could complete this operation.

"Of course." Richard snorted as he cast a sidelong glance at her. "Don't you see how excellent our Vivienne is? There's nothing she can't do!"

She was the youngest to ever top the college entrance test, a dual PhD holder, a master in fragrance creation, a design genius, and a medical prodigy. Calista felt blinded by the numerous accolades Vivienne had.

Calista's envy was so intense that she could barely maintain her smile. She was struggling to suppress her anger. "Since Vivienne is so capable, why not join me at the medical conference at the end of the month?"

Why did Vivienne have to excel at everything and garner all the praise and honors?

She was determined to not let Vivienne have her way.

Medicine was her field, and she had the backing of her prestigious family background, something Vivienne could never compete with.

Moreover, she had published numerous medical papers and had established a name for herself in the industry, yet she had never heard of Vivienne.

If Richard's surgery was successful, it was all thanks to Vivienne's luck. Once research projects were involved, Calista was confident that she could secure a resounding victory.

"I won't go." Vivienne replied, showing no emotion.

"You don't have to be polite with me." Calista thought she was feigning refusal, so she warmly tried to persuade her. "This conference has a high threshold; not everyone can participate. For Mr. Ellington's sake, I can secure a slot for you, Vivienne."

"Is that so?" Vivienne lightly nodded, showing an indifferent reaction. "It's a shame I'm not interested."

Did she think she would care about a medical conference? Such an opportunity might be precious to Calista, but to her, it wasn't a big deal.

"That's right. Vivienne isn't interested, and neither are we." Richard unconditionally sided with Vivienne. "Calista, don't waste your time here. You'd better focus on your project and not delay the progress." "And you two." Richard's tone shifted. He turned to Ryan and Cathy, who had been silent all this time. "Stop picking on Vivienne! As long as I'm alive for one more day, I won't let you bully Vivienne!" "Dad." Cathy protested. "We're just worried about your health, in case..."

Richard didn't let her finish. "There's no 'in case.' With Vivienne here, my health won't be an issue. If you have a problem with Vivienne, then you have a problem with me! If you want me to throw you out of the house, feel free to target Vivienne!"

Having been addressed so bluntly by Richard, Ryan and Cathy had nothing to say.

Fearing that he would be kicked out if he said anything more, Ryan quickly left, dragging Cathy with him.

Calista couldn't believe that Richard trusted Vivienne this much, but the facts were in front of her, and she had to accept it.

"Calista." Richard lifted his eyes to look at her before closing them again. "You're not welcome here. Please leave!"

Calista was always well-received, especially among elders.

Now that Richard was treating her this way, she couldn't help but feel a bit miffed.

"Well then, Richard, I'll leave you to rest." Calista suppressed her anger and spoke in a calm tone. "I'll come to see you another day."

She couldn't show weakness in front of Vivienne. She couldn't let her see the jealousy that was itching away at her confidence.

However, she didn't realize that Richard and Vivienne didn't think much of her. They felt that even one extra glance at her was a waste of time. They even cared less about her feelings.

Calista left the room in a daze and ran into Percival, who was returning.

Percival's face darkened. Why was she still here?

Running into Percival, whom she adored, lit a spark of hope in her eyes.

She believed that no one in her age group could compare to her in medicine. As long as she had the research project, he would definitely pay attention to her.

"There has been significant progress in the project you gave me recently. When will you come to the lab to see the results?"

"Okay." Percival replied coldly. "I'll send someone to check."

His mentor's unfinished research was a regret in Percival's heart. He hoped to complete this project for her, but he didn't want to have too much contact with Calista.

His sweetheart had marked her territory. He naturally disliked anyone Vivienne wasn't fond of and wouldn't treat them nicely either.

He said he would send someone to check instead of going himself, which disappointed Calista.

"But you personally handed this project over to me." She said, feeling discontented. "Others won't understand its importance."

Percival had appointed her as the person in charge, surely because he valued her abilities and intelligence.

Calista felt that she must have had a special place in his heart that was incomparable to anyone else.

Only she knew what he wanted and understood the profound meaning behind this research.

Percival's cold gaze slowly swept over her face. "Don't make me repeat myself."

His gaze made Calista feel as if she had fallen into an abyss. She saw indifference, alienation, and an unreachable distance in his eyes.

"I understand." She had no choice but to agree, pick up her handbag, and leave.

When Percival returned to the room, Vivienne had already lulled the old man back to sleep.

Upon seeing Percival walk in, she glanced up at him, then averted her gaze.

His dear Vivienne seemed to be upset, but he couldn't tell what was bothering her.

"Vivienne." Percival sidled up to her, pulling her into a comforting embrace. "What's the matter?"

Vivienne wasn't one for beating around the bush. She asked him outright. "Did you give my mother's research to Calista?"

She had heard rumors but couldn't confirm them. Although a simple investigation would reveal the truth, she wanted to hear it from Percival himself.

"Yes." Percival admitted, noticing her displeasure. "If it upsets you, I can take the project back."

The reason he had chosen Calista in the first place was merely because she was a young member of the Pendleton clan who had a decent background in medicine.

If his Vivienne was upset over this, he wouldn't hesitate to drop Calista.

"It's fine." Vivienne leaned into Percival's embrace, feeling his warmth envelope her. "Let her continue with the research."

Vivienne had long since completed her mother's work and had even expanded upon it.

Whatever results Calista might produce would be irrelevant to her. She was already miles ahead.

Percival bent down to kiss her forehead. "Whatever you say, goes." He said with a tone full of tenderness.

Just as the two were enjoying their rare moment of solitude, the hospital room door was abruptly pushed open.

Her eight disciples, all but Leopold, marched in. After seeing Vivienne nestled in Percival's arms, they became livid. Their faces turned a deep shade of red; they were practically foaming at the mouth. "What do you think you're doing?! Release Vivienne immediately!"