The Million-Dollar Heart (Percival and Vivienne)
Chapter 328

Paul was struggling with all his might. He was desperate, and his voice was so hoarse that it began to hurt.

He was the eldest grandson of the Ellington family and the future heir. How could he risk having a criminal record? It was a stain he couldn't wash away, one that would haunt him forever. Every word Paul spoke was followed by a violent cough. The pain from his fractured ribs was nearly unbearable.

His mother, Cathy, was in disbelief. She relentlessly pleaded with the police to let him go. "Officers, there must be some misunderstanding! My boy could never commit a crime. He's innocent! It's all Vivienne's doing! She's trying to frame him! You should be arresting her! She's the real criminal!"

Cathy was crying and making a scene, but the police paid her no mind and took away a weak-legged Paul.

She followed them while crying and pounding on the police car, refusing to leave.

The police, citing obstruction of justice, took Cathy along as well.

With Paul and Cathy gone, the Brooks household finally quieted down.

Everyone had been spectators to the drama all night, with each one lost in their thoughts.

"Alright, it's getting late." Paula said, clearing her throat to break the silence. "I think we should all get some rest."

"Hold on." Vivienne looked at her and spoke with an indifferent tone. "You seem to have forgotten something."

"Right." Ashley added. "They caught the one who kidnapped Thaddeus, but the insider in the Brooks family hasn't been found yet."

"An insider?!" Paula immediately lost her temper and began shouting, "Just because those people said so, you believe them? They're just trying to deflect the blame! No member of the Brooks family would ever do such things. Stop making false accusations!"

"No one said it was you." Judith retorted while giving Paula a sidelong glance. "Why are you so defensive?"

"Maybe she feels guilty." Carl hinted. "She's always disliked Vivienne, so it's not surprising that she's involved in this mess."

"Nonsense!" Paula was about to lose her cool. "A video can't prove anything! It's all a lie!"

"But Paul has been taken away by the police." Ashley looked at Judith's expression. "Could this all be fake?"

Everyone knew Paula's bias against Vivienne, and now there was video evidence to boot.

Although no one directly accused her, her sudden hostility suggested a guilty conscience.

"Thaddeus." Vivienne didn't say much and just gently touched Thaddeus' head. "Tell me, who took you away from here?"

Thaddeus looked up at her, then glanced fearfully at the others. "Sis... I..."

"You don't need to be afraid." Judith comforted him gently. "Your grandmother will back you up. Just tell the truth."

"It was... it was..." Thaddeus hesitated, but after replaceing courage from Vivienne's presence, he finally spoke. "It was Paula."

"You're lying!" Paula immediately rushed over and attempted to hit him. "Who taught you to say these things?! It's Vivienne; it must be Vivienne!"

Percival grabbed Paula's hand and shoved her aside.

Paula stumbled and fell, twisting her ankle and instantly turning pale from pain.

"The truth is out. Do you still want to deny it, Paula?" Carl challenged her. "I didn't expect you, of all people, to be so cruel!"

Judith was utterly disappointed. "Thaddeus is just a child. Why would he lie?!"

"You've made so many mistakes, and we, as a family, have always turned a blind eye. But now you're helping outsiders hurt your own family?! How could you betray us like this?!"

"Mom!" Paula's eyes were bloodshot as she glared at Vivienne, wishing she could tear her apart at this very moment. "Don't you know? It's all Vivienne's fault! She's ruined our family! She's back, but my Katara is still missing!"

"How could you still be harping on about this?!" Judith couldn't comprehend her anymore. "Scott's mistake was unintentional, and he's been trying his best to help you replace her all these years. How can you blame everything on him and even drag Vivienne into it?!"

Was a simple apology for an unintentional mistake supposed to ease her hatred?

She lost her precious daughter. She hadn't seen her for years, and she didn't even know if she was well. How could she not hate them?

"Tell me!" Paula's voice was sharp. It pierced their ears like a needle. "Where is my daughter?! Give me back my daughter!"

Vivienne frowned and looked at her without any expression on her face. "You're asking me about your daughter's whereabouts?"

"You know! You must know!" Paula screamed as her veins bulged. Her expression was somewhat ferocious. "My Katara lived in Havenwood. Her name there is Arabella Hawthorn! She was adopted by your foster parents!"

She had gone to Havenwood to replace Katara and confirmed that Arabella was her daughter. But she didn't know where she had gone.

The last person to see Arabella was Tristan.

Tristan was Scott's adopted son, and Vivienne's mother saved his life when he was young.

Connecting the timing of Arabella's disappearance with Vivienne, Paula concluded that Vivienne must have ordered Tristan to harm Arabella. She hated Scott, hated Tristan, and hated Vivienne even more.

If it weren't for Vivienne, her Katara would still be the little lady of the Brooks family, living a life of luxury.

It was all Vivienne's doing. She was the one who destroyed Katara's happiness.

She was the one responsible for Katara's current predicament. Her whereabouts were unknown. She was suffering somewhere out there.

Vivienne blinked. A hint of surprise flickered in her eyes while Percival, by her side, frowned slightly, as if he were trying to make sense of something.

"Paula, are you sure? Arabella is really your daughter?" Judith asked as her voice trembled with disbelief.

She hadn't forgotten the way Arabella had behaved when they first brought her home.

"Of course, I'm sure!" Paula's voice was hoarse from shouting. "I've been searching for her for so many years. Do you think I wouldn't recognize my own daughter?!"

"Let's not forget what Arabella has done." Carl immediately jumped in. "She deceived us by tampering with the DNA tests multiple times, all to be the heiress of the Brooks family. She was lying right up until the end."

"Arabella was tricked too!" Paula wasn't listening. All she wanted was her daughter. "Give me back my daughter! Give me back my Katara!"

She tried to get up to throttle Vivienne, but her twisted ankle was swollen like a loaf of bread. It throbbed with pain at the slightest movement.

"I couldn't care less about where Arabella is." Vivienne crossed her arms. Each word was a slap to Paula's face. “But as for your fate, I know it all too well."