The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

The room fell into a stunned silence as Vivienne’s declaration hung in the air.

She had actually agreed to it?

How could she possibly agree?

Ever since her engagement to Percival, their interactions had been the subject of much scrutiny.

Vivienne may have seemed aloof on the surface, but she treated Percival differently from everyone

else. It was commonly believed that Vivienne held a fondness for him.

Yet, she had just consented to break off the engagement?

Kala and Carl sat with their mouths agape, words failing them.

Even Judith, Scott and Timothy were taken aback by Vivienne’s ready acquiescence.

Particularly Judith. She had braced herself for a battle of words when she broached the subject. But to

her astonishment, Vivienne had capitulated so easily with barely a sentence spoken.

Kala was the first to snap back to reality from the prolonged moment of shock. She hurried to

Vivienne’s side and took a seat, pleading, “Vivienne, think this through. I know it’s upsetting that Scott

is acknowledging Calista, but you can’t just gamble with your happiness like this.”

Kala grasped Vivienne’s hand earnestly, trying to reason with her. She assumed Vivienne was agreeing

to the annulment because of Calista.

But Vivienne simply turned to her with a sudden smile. “Seems like she’s got quite the influence,

doesn’t she? Should we just indulge her?” she retorted.

Her smile was enchanting, and for a moment, Kala was utterly spellbound and forgetting to respond.

Judith, on the other hand, was relieved; a smile graced her face at last.

Vivienne was no longer at odds with her. She thought.

“Good! This is for the best. From now on the Brooks family can finally be at peace,. Nothing is better

than family unity,” she said with warmth in her voice.

Calista, coming to her senses, quickly chimed in, “Sis, I’ve made a mistake. Whatever you need, just

tell me. I’ll do whatever I can to make it up to you.”

There was a hint of guilt on her face whereas it was tinged with a smug satisfaction. The thought of

becoming Percival’s woman filled her with a rush of exhilaration.

Percival would ultimately be hers.

Vivienne scoffed and pulled out her cell phone, dialing Matthew.

He answered quickly and she got straight to the point, “Go to the Ellingtons. Annul the engagement.”

Matthew was stunned on the other side. He couldn’t believe his ears so he asked, “An annulment?”

“Yes,” Vivienne replied coolly. “Just say that the patriarch of the Brooks family and the patriarch of the

Ellingtons had arranged a marriage. They now request that the most accomplished granddaughter of

the Brooks family marry the heir of the Ellingtons.”

Matthew was speechless.

What the hell?

The Brooks family had just welcomed Calista back and now they were doing this to Vivienne?

After hanging up, Matthew texted Jerry: [The Brooks family wants Vivienne and Percival to break off

the engagement!]

Since Matthew wasn’t in the group chat with Jerry and the other eight junior disciples, he had to send a

private message to Jerry.

He then made his way to the Ellington household.

Percival had just returned from the Brooks Mansion and was about to enjoy a drink with Richard when

the housekeeper announced Matthew’s arrival. Percival was puzzled because Matthew rarely visited

without reason.

Could something have happened to Vivienne?

His brow furrowed as he commanded, “Let him in.”

In no time, the housekeeper brought Matthew inside.

“Is something wrong with Vivienne?” Percival asked.

Realizing that Percival was unaware of the situation, Matthew cleared his throat awkwardly before

breaking the news, “I’ve been sent by Vivienne… to annul your engagement.”

The atmosphere shifted suddenly and there was a palpable tension emanating from Percival.

Richard, alarmed, stood up abruptly, “Why on earth would they annul a perfectly good engagement?”

He turned his glare on Percival, “You little rascal, did you do something to upset Vivienne?”

Percival was at a loss for words. He had no idea at all. He had just left the Brooks Mansion, where

everything seemed fine.

He looked directly at Matthew. His presence was icy, “Explain that clearly.”

With a resigned sigh, Matthew began to relay the situation at the Brooks family.

“The Brooks family claims there was a prior engagement agreement with the Ellingtons. They want

Calista to marry you instead, so they asked us to cancel your engagement with Vivienne. Vivienne is a

dutiful grandchild, so she’s decided to go along with the Brooks family’s wishes.”

All the while, Matthew kept a wary eye on Percival for fearing an outburst from the man in front of him.

Percival remained silent while Richard erupted in anger, “Those thugs have heads full of muck! Are

they tired of living comfortably by constantly causing trouble for Vivienne? And what’s Calista’s worth?

She thinks she can claim my chosen heir with her homely face? How big does she think her face is?

I hadn’t kicked the bucket yet, and here they were, giving my darling Vivienne a hard time. If I were to

pass away, what then? That old cap Baron is unable to keep his house in order. No wonder the Brooks

can’t hold a candle to the Ellingtons. With that attitude, he’d never catch up to me in a million years.”

He reprimanded.

“Nope, I won’t stand for this,” Richard fumed, “I handpicked Vivienne to be my granddaughter-in-law,

and anyone bullies her will walk over my dead body! As for Calista, who the hell is she? Her piece of

junk thinks she can vie with Vivienne for my grandson? I will never recognize that girl as a part of the

family!”

With that, Richard stormed outside, muttering about blowing up the nursing home where Baron was

now.

As Richard vanished into the distance, Matthew glanced at Percival, “Should I head back then?”

Percival gave him a sidelong glance.

Matthew felt like he was being haunted, but he managed to keep a smile plastered on his face.

He couldn’t let Vivienne down, after all.

“Go tell Vivienne that the engagement still counts!” he declared.

Matthew shivered at the response. Clearly, his presence was no longer welcome. So he made his way

out alone.

Back at the Brooks Mansion, the Brooks family was anxiously awaiting Percival’s decision.

Matthew breezed in, ignored everyone and went straight to the point, “Vivienne, Mr. Ellington won’t

back down from your engagement!”

Vivienne raised an eyebrow and pulled out a credit card, “I’ll give him five million to call it off.”

Matthew was speechless.

Vivienne was truly formidable!

He hurriedly took the card back to the Ellington estate.

Percival looked at the credit card and his face turned blue as if he was poisoned.

“To hell with that,” Percival growled, tossing the card onto the table, “Here is twenty million. Tell her that

the engagement will still count!”

Matthew felt like crying.

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But humble as he was, he dared not protest. So he took the card back to Vivienne.

Vivienne glanced at Percival’s card, “Here’s fifty million. Call it off.”

Percival, on the other side, sat in his study and crushed a glass in his hand, “Here’s one hundred

million. I’m not calling it off!”

Vivienne countered, “I give him two hundred million to call it off!”

Percival upped the ante, “Five hundred million; I’m not backing down!”

Back and forth they went until Matthew’s legs were about to give out from exhaustion.

But the battle of wills raged on, and Matthew, in a moment of exasperation, suggested, “Vivienne,

maybe we should just go through with it?”

Vivienne shot him a look, then produced a black card, “One hundred billion. The engagement is off.”

Matthew was dumbstruck.

As long as Vivienne was happy, he guessed.

But what he didn’t expect was that when he delivered the black card to the Ellington estate, Percival

just pocketed it and drawled, “Deal.”

Matthew’s head spun with confusion.

Was he serious?