The Million-Dollar Heart (Percival and Vivienne)
Chapter 324

They scoured the entire Brooks residence.

Isolde was worn out, yet there was still no sign of Thaddeus.

"See,I told you, Thaddeus really is missing!" Isolde slumped onto the sofa and looked at Vivienne with wide, innocent eyes.

Vivienne crossed her arms as her face took on a serious expression.

Staying at the Brooks Mansion should have been the safest option for Thaddeus.

The Brooks Mansion had a professional security system, and, furthermore, she was around. If anything were to happen, they would know immediately.

Yet even with all these precautions, Thaddeus disappeared without a trace.

As Vivienne was deep in thought, her phone rang.

After checking, she saw that it was an unknown number.

"Hello?"

She put the phone to her ear, only to hear a harsh voice, which was clearly modified. "Vivienne, there's no need to look anymore. Thaddeus is with us now. I won't waste your time. If you want to keep him alive you must give me 10 million dollars. I want cash."

Vivienne raised an eyebrow. Her eyes didn't even flicker as she agreed. "Okay."

The caller seemed taken aback by her straightforward response. He coughed before saying, "Good, at least you know what's good for you."

"But don't even think about calling the cops. If you do, I'll make sure the kid pays!"

"I won't call the cops." Vivienne replied calmly. "But if Thaddeus is harmed in any way, I'll make sure you become well acquainted with death himself."

Ten million, 10 million, whatever amount was not an issue for her.

Money was a small matter. However, if someone dared to hurt someone she cared about, it wouldn't end with a visit from the cops.

The person on the other end of the line felt a chill run down their spine but still feigned composure. "Have the money ready by the end of today. I'll tell you where to drop it off later."

The kidnapper had a pompous demeanor, making it seem like if their instructions were not followed, Thaddeus might end up dead.

"I have 10 million." Vivienne replied casually. "But you're asking for cash. Even the bank needs time to prepare that."

While speaking, she pulled out a second phone, and her fingers swiftly moved across the screen.

The kidnapper paused, then replied, "Then by tomorrow! No more delays! I don't care how you get it! But I want to see 10 million in cash by tomorrow!"

After saying that, they promptly hung up. Vivienne glanced at the results displayed on her second phone.

The tracking had failed. They had used a counter-tracking system, making it impossible to locate them.

It was a well-prepared plan.

Vivienne nodded thoughtfully. It seemed that they hadn't acted on a whim but had a detailed plan in place.

"Sis..." Isolde, sitting nearby, tugged at Vivienne's sleeve anxiously. "Will Thaddeus be okay?"

She didn't quite understand the conversation over the phone, but from what Vivienne was saying, she could sense something was wrong.

"Don't worry, he'll be fine."

If she said she could do it, she could do it. Those who dared to target Thaddeus were the ones making the biggest mistake.

"Vivienne!"

As Vivienne was thinking her next move, Judith came rushing in with the house staff. "There's a ransom note in our mailbox! It says they've got Thaddeus, and they're asking for 10 million dollars!" Vivienne frowned. A ransom note?

A phone call, and now a ransom note. What was their endgame?

"Where's Thaddeus? Is he really missing? This is a serious matter! We can't act rashly!"

Judith was genuinely worried. Although Thaddeus wasn't a direct descendant of the Brooks family, he was one of the people Vivienne cared most about.

Her love for Vivienne extended to those around her. Now that Thaddeus had encountered trouble at the Brooks residence, she was naturally involved.

Soon, the rest of the family heard the commotion and came out of their rooms.

"What's going on? A ransom note?" Melissa and Timothy were the first down the stairs. Their faces were a mixture of shock and confusion. "Who would dare target a member of the Hawthorn clan in such a blatant manner?"

"It's Thaddeus. He's in trouble!" Judith filled them in on the situation as she shook her head in dismay. "He's just a kid. What a terrible thing to happen to him!"

Ashley and Carl followed closely, with Paula trailing behind. She went to Havenwood a few days ago but hadn't been able to replace Katara.

After returning to Rivenwood, she came to the Brooks Mansion.

Unless Katara was found, she wouldn't let any person with the last name Brooks have peace.

She walked slowly as a scornful look adorned her face. "He's nothing but bad luck! Wherever he goes, trouble follows. Now he's shamelessly staying at the Brooks Mansion and causing trouble for the family!" "Paula!" Vivienne watched her coldly, but before she could say anything, Judith snapped. "Thaddeus is Vivienne's brother! He's part of our family! How can you say such things?"

"Mother! Are you losing your mind?" Paula retorted irritably. "He's not her real brother, and he's certainly not a direct descendant of the Brooks family! First it was her adoptive parents; now it's her brother?! This house is full of outsiders brought in by Vivienne!"

Vivienne hadn't even revealed Dorian and Cordelia's identities yet. They were still residing at the Brooks Mansion.

Even if they were not home at the moment, it didn't stop Paula from pointing fingers at them.

"What's this talk about 'outsiders'?" Carl said dismissively and firmly took Vivienne's side. "We're all part of the Brooks family. Do we really need to split hairs over this?"

Melissa chipped in, trying to smooth things over. "Paula, Thaddeus is Vivienne's brother. His problems are our problems. There's no need to be so nitpicky."

"Me? Nitpicky?"

Paula sneered. She looked around the room with a shocked expression. It was as if everyone had been brainwashed by Vivienne. "If I don't stand my ground, who knows who'll be running the family now?" "Enough! Pipe down!" Judith cut her off. Her brows were deeply furrowed. "Is this really what's important right now? The main concern here is Thaddeus' safety!"

Vivienne silently watched them bicker with an inscrutable poker face.

Only one possibility could explain Thaddeus being taken away from the Brooks Mansion. Someone in the family must have helped.

Interesting...

"That's 10 million we're talking about!" Paula wouldn't back down. "Why should the Brooks family shell out that much for an outsider?"

10 million might not be a big deal for the Brooks family, but it mattered who the money was being spent on.

"I'll foot the bill." Vivienne cut her off. She had more than enough money. It was just a matter of whether the other party had the guts to take it from her.

"You'll pay?" Paula scoffed. "Where would you get all that money from? Isn't it all from our family? And you have the audacity to flaunt it?! You've got some nerve!"

Vivienne looked at her impassively and casually tossed a bank statement onto the table. "There's 100 million here. If anything happens to Thaddeus, I won't let the perpetrator off the hook."