The Million-Dollar Heart (Percival and Vivienne)
Chapter 854

Percival couldn't believe his eyes as he watched Vivienne perform. It was like witnessing a car crash in slow motion-you want to look away, but you just can't.

Especially when she started singing. It was like a mix between a cat in distress and nails on a chalkboard. Who would have thought this bright young thing had the vocal charm of a banshee on a bad day? Nearly sent the whole room running for the hills!

And her dance moves? Straight out of a B-grade horror flick. Where on earth did she pick up those moves?

"Here we go round the mulberry bush, I'll pop your head off with a single push..."

"I love taking baths, watch the turtle crash, oh oh oh..."

Vivienne was belting out tunes with the confidence of a rock star, going strong until 4 AM.

Thank the stars the Perez household didn't have neighbors close by, or the cops would have been called for sure!

Finally, she concluded her one-woman show with a grand finale, "I'm a girl, cute as a pearl..." and then, out like a light. Percival heaved a sigh of relief. If she hadn't passed out, he was sure he'd be the next to go down.

Imagine, face painted like a carnival attraction, nursing a broken arm, and enduring Vivienne's howls. What a night!

Once Vivienne was safely carted off to bed, the servants locked her in tight on Jasper's orders. "Make sure she doesn't escape," he instructed, still shaken from the night's events.

The servants hustled, eager to put an end to their misery. It wasn't just the Perez family that suffered tonight; they'd had their fair share too.

With Vivienne tucked away, the Perez family didn't even bother washing up. They were too drained, retreating to their rooms for some much-needed rest.

Percival, initially sharing a room with Vivienne, couldn't bear the thought of spending another moment near her. Who knew what she'd do next? He opted for the guest room, leaving Arthur to crash on the living room couch.

The next day, Vivienne slept till noon, oblivious to the chaos she'd caused. Waking up, she found the house eerily quiet and everyone avoiding her like the plague.

"Are we having a costume party?" she asked, puzzled by the bizarre artwork on everyone's faces.

"You sober now?" they asked in unison, visibly relieved when she confirmed her hangover-free state. Percival, barely holding back his frustration, asked if she remembered anything from the night before.

"A strawberry cheesecake on my face? Really?" Vivienne was bemused, only to replace out it was her own artistic expression from the night's escapades.

The family recounted her drunken antics-the impromptu marathon, the laxatives, and oh, the singing. Percival, Maddox, and the rest shared their trauma, hoping she'd realize the extent of her actions. Vivienne, mortified, apologized profusely. "I forgot I can't handle my liquor," she admitted, wishing she could sink into the ground.

This wasn't her first rodeo with alcohol-induced mischief, but it was certainly one for the books. Next time, she'd steer clear of the booze. Or at least, that's what she hoped.

The first time Vivienne went on a booze-fueled rampage was at Emerald Mountain. She had accidentally guzzled down Finnian's stash of moonshine, and boy, did things spiral out of control. Later, her fellow trainees had the dubious honor of recounting her antics.

She made them undergo a high-intensity workout in the middle of the night.

Smeared their doors with mud pies.

Stripped them of their clothes!

Dressed them up in drag and had them perform line dances in the square.

Since that night, there was an unspoken agreement among the trainees: keep alcohol out of Vivienne's reach within a ten-mile radius.

After she left the mountain, the people around her rarely drank. Even when they did, Vivienne showed no interest.

That was until yesterday-apparently, Arthur's arrival was the catalyst.

Thinking of him, Vivienne looked over at Arthur. The green shirt he wore did suit him, in a way.

He was a good sport about the whole ordeal, though. Barely passable, but she'd give him a half point for effort.

"It's okay, Vivienne. Don't beat yourself up over it. Just steer clear of the booze from now on," Jasper comforted her. Vivienne nodded, still feeling a bit embarrassed.

Jasper waved off the awkwardness and told everyone, "Go freshen up, folks. Lunch is almost ready."

As they returned from their rooms, the servants had already laid out the feast.

Just as they were about to dig in, a furious voice bellowed from the doorway, "Arthur, you scoundrel, get out here now!"