The Million-Dollar Heart (Percival and Vivienne)
Chapter 302

Carl had already been whisked away by the ambulance. He should be nearing the hospital by now.

Percival's gaze finally landed on Kala, but it only lingered momentarily before shifting back to Vivienne as his eyes showed a hint of concern.

"I'm Kala, Vivienne's cousin." Kala quickly introduced herself. She was surprised when she noticed that Percival's attention was hardly on her.

I mean, she was an Oscar-winning actress. Weren't most men supposed to be head over heels for her?

But Percival seemed indifferent.

Interesting!

"It's getting late." Percival's voice softened when he addressed Vivienne. "Vivienne, let me take you home."

Vivienne didn't refuse. On the contrary, it was Leopold who began grumbling and complaining.

"Typical! As soon as he sees Vivienne, he forgets about everyone else."

But he didn't have the guts to complain too loudly, fearing that Percival would ditch him like last time and trick him into eating a bunch of garlic again.

Soon, they arrived at the Brooks Mansion.

Percival dropped them off at the front door and left.

Kala watched his retreating figure, then turned to Vivienne as her curiosity piqued to max levels. "Vivienne, is your engagement to Percival of the Ellington family just a marriage alliance?"

Everyone knew that the alliance between the Ellington and Brooks families was a powerful combination for mutual benefit.

But having witnessed their interaction, she felt there was more to their relationship than just a mere business arrangement.

Especially since Percival's and Vivienne's engagement was arranged before Vivienne disappeared. Their relationship seemed different from the rumors.

"Hmm?" Vivienne raised an eyebrow at Kala.

"He seems quite fond of you, and you don't seem to resist his affection." Kala's blunt assessment made Vivienne's eyes flicker slightly.

But she quickly regained her composure, and her usual calm demeanor resurfaced. "That's just your impression."

Her engagement to Percival was arranged by their elders. From the start, she never considered that their relationship would continue or that they would actually marry.

As their interactions increased, her attitude towards Percival changed. But she was still uncertain about their future together.

As of now, her main focus was investigating her mother's death. She didn't have the time or energy for anything else, let alone considering their relationship once everything was settled. "My impression?" Kala looked at her, feeling puzzled.

Vivienne's eyes narrowed slightly, and a hint of curiosity appeared in her gaze. "You seem quite interested in Mr. Ellington and me."

Realizing the probing look in Vivienne's eyes, Kala quickly explained herself. "No, you misunderstood. I'm just curious because there are some unpleasant rumors about Mr. Ellington." "Oh." Vivienne studied her for a moment longer before turning to enter the house.

Meanwhile, after receiving treatment at the hospital, Carl quickly returned to the Brooks Mansion.

His sneaky trip to the race and the resulting injuries were impossible to hide from his mother, Cheryl. The entire family knew about it. Although Cheryl didn't destroy his beloved car, she was furious. She grounded him and locked up his car, forbidding him from racing again. Carl resented the idea of not being able to race, but he hadn't forgotten one thing.

If it weren't for Vivienne's help in the North Peak race, he didn't know what would have happened.

After watching half of the race and hearing about Vivienne's impressive performance from Kala, his attitude toward her shifted dramatically.

As soon as he returned from the hospital, he hobbled over with his crutches to knock on Vivienne's door.

"Vivienne, can I get your autograph?" Carl asked, his eyes shining with excitement.

Vivienne only raised an eyebrow in response.

"Did you hit your head too?" Vivienne crossed her arms and spoke with a hint of amusement in her voice.

Carl, however, didn't seem offended.

Even though Vivienne was younger than him, her racing skills far surpassed his.

In his eyes, anyone who could beat him deserved his respect.

"So, can I call you Vivienne?"

Carl scratched his neck, seemingly replaceing it strange to address her so informally. "Anyway, you won the race! From now on, I'll be your follower."

"Weren't you saying I set you up?" Vivienne asked with a teasing smile on her face.

"No, no." Carl quickly waved his hands, denying it vehemently. "That was my own fault! It had nothing to do with you, Vivienne. If I hadn't intentionally bid to get the price up, I wouldn't have lost over 12 million dollars on a stupid piece of stone."

Vivienne couldn't help but laugh at his earnest explanation.

In the end, she accepted the notebook from his hands and signed her name.

"Thank you, Vivienne! I'll treasure this autograph forever!" Carl clutched the autographed notebook tightly, as if he feared that someone might snatch it away.

"Remember, it takes a hundred days for a bone to heal." Vivienne glanced at his plastered leg, reminding him to rest.

"I will, I will!" Carl nodded enthusiastically, agreeing with everything she said. "Vivienne, when my leg heals, can you take me for a ride?"

He swallowed nervously after asking, hoping she wouldn't refuse. If she could train with him, even just for a couple of laps, his racing skills would improve immensely.

"We'll see." Vivienne replied nonchalantly.

Despite not getting a definite yes, Carl was still overjoyed.

Just imagining that scenario made him wish he could immediately remove his cast and jump in a car to the racecourse.

"By the way, Vivienne..." Carl suddenly seemed to recall something and hesitated before he spoke. "I noticed you passing by the cat shelter today. You wouldn't happen to be the one who left the cat food and treats, would you?"

He had his suspicions, but at the time, he couldn't quite believe that Vivienne could be so kind-hearted.

Now, having witnessed Vivienne's skill in a NASCAR race and becoming her fervent fan, he found every action of hers reasonable and justified.

"You're overthinking it." Vivienne interrupted him nonchalantly, adding, "It wasn't for you; I just felt sorry for the cat."

Carl was taken aback. Her response seemed icy cold, but somewhere within, there was warmth.

He was used to thinking of Vivienne as someone cold and calculating, but after spending time with her, he realized that beneath her indifferent exterior lay a tender and warm side.

Even though Vivienne wouldn't admit it, he chose to believe what he saw.

"Regardless, thank you." Carl muttered, looking down shyly. "I don't know what I would've done without those cat supplies you left."

After a moment of thought, he sincerely apologized. "I'm sorry for my previous behavior. I hope you won't hold it against me. If you ever need help with anything, please feel free to ask. I'll do my best to support you."

"Enough chatter!" With an expressionless face, Vivienne shut the door, clearly uninterested in his rambling.