Chapter 422


    Astrid fidgeted nervously beside Vivienne, apparently still wracked with guilt over the previous day''s


    events.


    Vivienne, unfazed, nced at Astrid with eyes as soft as a strawberry cheesecake and stood up.


    Astrid halted her with a call, "Vivienne."


    Vivienne''s lips curved into a smile, her bright eyes shing with disinterest. "What is it?"


    Astrid rose and approached her, lifting her shirt.


    On her slender waist was a hideous ck scar.


    A knife wound, poisoned.


    Astrid clenched her fist. "I got this on a mission when I fell into the enemy''s trap. Now, I still suffer from


    the pain, especially when it rains, my whole body aches.


    Vivienne, I''m not trying to gain your sympathy. I just want to tell you that we''ve sacrificed our lives to


    ensure that our organization can develop a defense against the biochemical weapons of rival nations.


    So, on behalf of the organization and our country, I''m inviting you to join our fight!"


    Vivienne''s gaze fell on the scar on Astrid''s waist.


    It was clearly real.


    She grasped Astrid''s wrist and felt for her pulse.


    The poison had been lurking in her body for years; she, indeed, had suffered greatly.


    Vivienne casually took out a life-saving pill and popped it into Astrid''s mouth. "This poison isn''t hard to


    cure. Juste to me once a day."


    After a pause, she added, "I''m quite interested in what you''ve said. I''ll give it a try."


    Astrid froze, surprised. "You mean you agree?"


    Vivienne nodded slightly. "Yeah, but I''m out if your experiments don''t meet my standards."


    "Great. You''ll find our experiments fascinating," Astrid said with a smile. "I''ll notify the organization and


    see when they can take you to theb."


    With that, Astrid went into her room.


    Looking at her door, Vivienne let a sly smile creep onto her face.


    She pulled out her phone and texted Percival, [How''s it going?]


    [Came up empty. You?]


    [Hook, line, and sinker.]


    Percival could almost see Vivienne''s cunning expression from those words - like a smug little fox.


    ...


    In the house of the Ellington family''s second branch.


    "Jeffrey, don''t move. The doctor said you can''t get out of bed yet," Heloise said, her heart aching for her


    son.


    Percival’s strength was beyond their imagination. A mere toss had broken Jeffrey''s bones.


    If it were not for the timely hospital visit, he might have lost his life.


    Jeffrey limped to the couch. "I''m going stir-crazy lying in bed."


    Besides, lying there was useless; he was in agony. It was better to move a little.


    Jeffrey waved her off impatiently. "Never mind me. What about Fiona? Why was she kicked out?"


    At the mention, Heloise bristled with anger. "What else? It was that wench Vivienne''s doing. Percival


    isn''t any better. No matter what, Fiona was good to him. How could he just throw her out of the


    "I told you, I should have joined thepany instead of letting Fiona hog the spotlight. Now look what''s


    happened. What are we supposed to do now? Wait to starve?" Jeffrey fumed.


    Henry sat nearby, equally furious, shouting upstairs to Fiona''s room, "Fiona, what are you doing hiding


    all day? Think you can get back into thepany that way? Come out and figure out how to ask your


    grandpa to reinstate you!"


    Fiona was the mainstay of the Ellington family''s second branch, with half their savingsing from her


    Now that she was out, they had lost a significant source of ie.


    Fiona sat in her room, ignoring her parents'' and Jeffrey''sints below. She put on headphones,


    locked the door, and tuned them out.


    Being ousted from thepany was not her most pressing concern. It was her ndestine dealings


    that weighed on her mind.


    Her business was not just in the art galleries; she also needed the Ellington Group''s resources and


    connections, even using their transportation to make her trades.


    This was her livelihood, her foundation.


    Moreover, she had signed agreements. If she failed to deliver as promised, it could cost her her life.


    Fiona dialed an unknown number on her phone. "How''s it going?"


    "They''re still in our hands, being moved as you instructed."


    "Good. Keep a close eye. I''ll find a way to get her out."


    Ending the call, Fiona rubbed her fingertips, her usually cool face fading to gloom.


    Then, an unfamiliar number called.


    After hesitating, she answered, "Who''s this?"


    A woman''s voice replied, "Ms., I’m Calista."


    Fiona paused.


    Calista?


    They were not close, but Fiona had heard of Calista in their circles.


    The once-proimed prodigy of traditional medicine, the cheap daughter of the former Brooks family


    patriarch.


    Since Scott''s arrest, Calista had also be reclusive. Why was she calling now?


    "What can I do for you?" Fiona asked, her voice smooth, the earlier darkness gone.


    Calista''s cheerful voice came through. "Got time for a coffee?"


    Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    "Sure, see you soon."


    ...


    Elsewhere.


    After taking Dorian''s family to a therapist, Percival picked up Vivienne.


    They dropped Dorian and his family back home.


    Vivienne ruffled Thaddeus’s hair, praising him, “That’s my brave boy.”


    But who the heck was Leo?


    She nced at Percival, who just shrugged his shoulders.


    Who else could it be?


    It was Leopold, of course!


    All along the way, Leopold had been chatting with Thaddeus like they were about to be blood


    brothers.


    Leopold insisted on not being called ‘brother’ but ‘Leo’ – it sounded much cooler.


    Leopold said earlier, “Isn''t it much cooler?”  NovelDrama.Org


    Dorian nodded, still a bit shaken from the previous day''s events and not in the mood for the office grind.


    Then, with a hint of worry, he asked, “What about you, Vivienne?”


    “Vivienne’s in good hands with me around,” Percival said softly, wrapping his arm around her waist.


    Dorian had no more to say; with Percival by her side, he truly felt reassured.


    After dropping Dorian and the others off at home, Percival and Vivienne, who had matters to attend to,


    took their leave.


    As soon as they left, Astrid’s bedroom door cracked open slightly.


    Just then, her phone rang. She nced at the caller ID and answered.


    Whatever was said on the other end, Astrid replied, “Yeah, agreed. I’ll start prepping. I’ll bring her over


    tomorrow.”


    “Understood.”


    Astrid hung up the phone, her eyes shrouded in mystery.