The Million-Dollar Heart (Percival and Vivienne)
Chapter 99

Coral and Gabriel's apologies didn't seem to move Vivienne at all. Her face remained expressionless. But when it came to Jaylan, she finally spoke up. "Regarding the incident last time, you called me in for an investigation following all legal procedures, without any evidence or arrest warrant. That's by the book, and you're a straight shooter. Therefore, after your suspension, I didn't do anything inappropriate to the

Lockwood family."

Jaylan twitched his lips. She might not have done anything, but her fiancé sure did.

The Lockwood family's business had taken a major hit last time, but that was just a lesson from Percival. This time, Percival wasn't leaving them any room for survival. He was clearly aiming for the Lockwoods to go bankrupt.

But Jaylan didn't voice out these thoughts. They were here to apologize, not to accuse them.

Vivienne subtly raised her eyes as her delicate fingers tucked a stray hair behind her ear. Slowly, she asked, "Jaylan, do you remember how you got to where you are now?"

Jaylan stiffened. He stared at Vivienne in shock, unable to replace the words to respond.

Of course, he remembered.

The Lockwood family's current status wasn't entirely due to their parents' efforts, and his own promotions weren't entirely due to his own merit. The Lockwoods had been given a leg up.

They didn't know who their benefactor was. After helping the Lockwoods reach their current status, the benefactor only advised them not to misuse their power to oppress ordinary people. They were taught to do good deeds and to make good karma. If the Lockwoods did wrong, everything they now had would be taken back.

Jaylan, Brandon, and Mrs. Lockwood were all shocked by Vivienne's words.

After a long silence, Brandon managed to replace the strength to say a few words as his whole body shook. "Ms. Vivienne, are you..."

Vivienne didn't answer him, but instead pulled out a ring from her pocket and put it on.

Upon seeing the ring, Brandon nearly collapsed to his knees. Vivienne gave him a glance, and he managed to steady himself.

"Nine..."

He didn't get to finish his sentence when he suddenly realized something and quickly closed his mouth.

Vivienne cast him a cold look and said impassively, "I hope this is the last time."

"Yes, yes, we understand. There won't be a next time." Brandon's throat was so dry that he didn't know how he was still talking.

"Take your daughter and leave." Vivienne said indifferently.

Brandon didn't dare linger and quickly left with Coral.

After they left, Percival stared at Vivienne for a long time, and then his gaze fell on the hand from which she'd just removed the ring.

He had seen that ring once before, but the one he'd seen was slightly different from the one on Vivienne's hand. Without a closer look, the difference was not noticeable.

He didn't know why Vivienne had that ring, but he knew that it represented a kind of power, a power greater than the one he'd been nurturing covertly.

Who exactly was Vivienne?

Vivienne was oblivious to his thoughts. She glanced at the students who were panicking because of the principal's punishment, and her gaze eventually landed on Arabella. Without saying a word, she turned and left.

After Vivienne left, the students who wanted to defend Arabella looked at each other.

The scene just now reminded them of their previous suspicions about Vivienne's fake academic qualifications and how they were refuted.

And the cause of all that was Arabella.

For a moment, everyone started to doubt Arabella.

After seeing their expressions, Arabella knew what was about to happen.

Luckily, her phone rang at that moment. It was Beatrice.

She quickly answered the call. "Grandma, I just saw the news. How are you? I'll come to see you right now."

After hanging up and asking for leave from her teacher, she rushed to the hospital.

At the hospital.

Arabella hurried to Beatrice's ward and was surprised to see her seldom-returning aunt, Iris, there.

She paused for a moment and then smiled. "Aunt Iris, you're back?"

Iris gave her a glance and simply said, "Yes."

Arabella was slightly taken aback. She was feeling annoyed. Iris was always cold to her. She treated her as if she owed her a lot of money.

She decided to ignore Iris and turned to Beatrice, only to replace that Beatrice and Michael were both looking at her.

Beatrice looked kind, but there was a shadow in her eyes. She beckoned Arabella. "Arabella, come here. Grandma has something to tell you.

I want you to come clean and tell the truth about the incident of Vivienne stealing your credit on Twitter."

Arabella's heart sank. "I understand, Grandma."

Cloudcrest High School.

Arabella's apology and clarification on Twitter had just been posted when Vivienne saw it.

Arabella recorded a video admitting that it was Vivienne who cured Faye Churchill and that she didn't steal her credit.

She confessed that she slandered Vivienne out of jealousy and sincerely apologized to Vivienne, asking for her forgiveness. But the netizens' attitude didn't change.

Even though Arabella clarified the situation, she was crying in the video, looking very pitiful as if she herself was the wronged one. The comments under the video all expressed disbelief. They thought Arabella must have been pressured to post such a video. For a while, the internet was going off on Vivienne.

Vivienne gave a cold laugh. Arabella's reluctance to post that video had silently shifted public opinion against her. She was still playing mind games with her at this point?

Interesting!

At that moment, Vivienne's phone rang. It was from an unknown number. She frowned slightly and picked it up.

"Vivienne." A gentle voice came from the phone. "It's Iris. Do you remember me?"

"Iris." Vivienne paused and suddenly felt a softness in her heart. A gentle face appeared in her mind.

How could Vivienne forget her? During her childhood in the Hawthorn family, apart from Dorian, only Aunt Iris was kind and gentle to her. She played with her, bought her delicious food, and told her stories. In the Hawthorn Mansion, Iris occupied half of Vivienne's few happy memories.

Vivienne had only heard that Iris had moved to Ozoria with her husband. She didn't expect her to come back so suddenly.

"It's me. Do you remember me?" Iris's voice became even softer. "I've been missing you all these years. I'm so glad Dorian found you, Vivienne... Can I see you?"

Vivienne was silent for a while. "Sure."

Vivienne thought her heart had become as hard as iron over the past ten years, but she was still moved by people like Cordelia and Iris who truly cared for her.

"I also want to see Thaddeus." Iris's voice was full of anticipation. "Shall we take him to the amusement park after school?"

"Sure." Vivienne agreed.