Chapter 237


    Percival''s countenance cooled. He stepped forward to stand protectively beside Vivienne, his gaze


    hardening as he turned to Pa. His presence radiated an icy threat.


    "Scott." Percival''s voice cut through the tension. "It seems the Brooks family isn''t too thrilled about


    Vivienne''s return."


    Pa was well aware of who Percival was, but his engagement to Vivienne was a secret kept within


    the confines of Havenwood, and so their rtionship was not well known in Rivenwood.


    "Percival, since when do the Ellingtons meddle in our family matters? Have you taken a shine to this


    little minx?" Pa''s eyes switched between Vivienne and Percival as a cold smirk appeared on her


    lips. "Look at you, barely out of pigtails and already leading men on. Quite the precocious one, aren''t


    you?"


    "Pa!" Judith''s stern rebuke echoed. "Watch your tongue! Mr. Ellington is Vivienne''s betrothed!"


    Pa''s expression wavered. Bitterness begancing her words as she shot a nce at Scott. "Your


    daughter sure is lucky. She reeled in such a catch."


    "That''s enough!" Scott''s patience had worn thin. "If you have a problem with me, then take it up with


    me. Leave Vivienne out of it!"


    "Oh, haven''t you heard of the phrase, ''the sins of the father fall upon the child''?" Pa retorted. "Your


    daughter returns to a life offort and an engaged man, while my own has been missing for fourteen


    years! Why does your daughter get it all?"


    Scott was at a loss for words. For years, his sister, Pa, had used this argument to chastise him.


    He felt guilt and resentment, but Vivienne should not be the one to bear the brunt of it.


    "Leading men on?" Vivienneughed as her hands casually slipped into her pockets. "I heard you were


    barely neen when you drugged your husband-to-be, got pregnant, and marched over to the Miller


    family to demand a wedding, breaking up his engagement in the process. I must say, I can''t hold a


    candle to you."


    The room fell into an awkward silence. Pa''s maniption of her husband, Mark Miller, was no


    secret. Many remembered her tantrums in the Miller household and her relentless harassment of


    Mark''s ex-fiancée.


    This was the first time the truth about Pa drugging Mark was spoken out loud, even if it had been


    suspected all along.


    Pa''s face flushed with embarrassment. She hadn''t expected Vivienne to be aware of her past


    indiscretions.


    "How dare you speak to your aunt like this?!" A young man appeared at the top of the stairs, rushing to


    his mother''s side with his hand raised to p Vivienne.


    Percival''s eyes darkened at the audacity. Would he darey a hand on his fiancée?


    Before he could react, Vivienne had already caught the man''s wrist in mid-air, twisting it viciously.


    "Ah!" The young man screamed in pain.


    "Let go of my son!" Pa shrieked and lunged at Vivienne.


    Vivienne side-stepped Pa, not letting go of the man''s wrist but instead increasing the pressure. After


    causing him to copse in pain, she addressed Pa. "What was it you said? ''The sins of the father fall


    upon the child''? By that logic, shouldn''t your son bear the consequences for your actions?"


    She held the man''s arm at an unnatural angle; his excruciating pain was evident. "However, I''m not


    known for my gentle touch." She stated nonchntly, "If he ends up injured, please don''t hold it against


    me. After all, you started it, and don’t forget, ''the sins of the mother fall upon the child.''"


    Percival watched her handle the situation with a smirk. This was his Vivienne. She would never let


    anyone walk over her. She seemed to be enjoying stirring up trouble in the Brooks house.


    "Harlot!" Pa spat as she attempted to charge at Vivienne again, but one look from Vivienne froze her


    in her tracks. The threat in Vivienne''s eyes was clear. Touch her, and her hand would be broken.


    "Mom!" Pa red at Judith with a resentful expression. "You''re just going to let her do this?"


    "Wasn''t it Eddy who started it?" Judith retorted coldly. "You were the one who insulted Vivienne first, but


    he attacked his own cousin without any reason. It''s only fair that he gets a taste of his own medicine."


    Vivienne''s sudden retaliation came as a shock to everyone.


    Ashley was particrly surprised. Pa, her aunt, always had a superior attitude towards her. It was


    annoying, but she never dared rebuke her in person.


    But Vivienne not only confronted Pa directly but also attacked Pa''s beloved son, Eddy.


    However, since it was Eddy who initiated the fight, nobody intervened, even though Vivienne''s


    retaliation was fierce.


    "Mom!" Pa cried out in desperation, but Judith remained indifferent.


    Then she red at Scott. "Scott, you''ve hurt my daughter. Are you going to let your daughter hurt my


    son too?"


    Scott nced at Vivienne. "Vivienne is right. I never raised her for a single day, yet you want to me


    her for my mistakes. It''s only fair that she mes your offenses on Eddy."


    His gaze was cold, radiating the authority a head of the family should have. He continued, "Is my


    daughter someone who can be bullied? NO! Not even by Eddy, and certainly not by you."


    Vivienne seemed unbothered by the various expressions on the faces of the Brooks family. She just


    kept tightening her grip, watching as Eddy''s face turned pale from pain. Only then did she lean slightly


    towards him, speaking in a slow and menacing tone. "Remember this. I only acknowledge her as my


    aunt if I say so. If I don''t, she is nothing."


    With that, she finally let go of Eddy''s wrist and put her hand back in her pocket.


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    "Brother, I heard Vivienne is back!" At that moment, Scott’s brother, Timothy''sughter echoed from the


    entrance.