Chapter 512


    Hayden leaned against the wall, his gaze dripping with disdain as he watched his older brother.


    He knew Theodore only dared to raise his voice because Vivienne was not around. He would not dare


    to let out a peep if she were here.


    Just likest night, when Vivienne had Wendy serve water, who came forward to stop her?


    After Theodore had his fill of shouting, he started to feign concern for Wendy''s well-being with an air of


    hypocrisy.


    "Mom''s life has been so tough," hemented. "What would we do if something happened to her? Mom,


    don''t you worry. I''ll make sure the business runs smoothly and won''t let it suffer the slightest loss!"


    At this, Nancy could not hold back any longer. "Theodore, Mom''s still okay, isn''t she? And you''re


    already eager to take over thepany? Besides, Hayden''s right here. Aren''t you being a bit


    premature?"


    Teresa said, clearly displeased, "Hayden, Theodore is the eldest son. It''s only right he takes


    precedence. Surely, you understand such basic principles, don’t you?"


    "I don''t like the sound of that," Nancy retorted. "Precedence or not, it''s about whether he''s got the


    chops!"


    "Nancy, how can you talk like that?"


    Eliza, who had been listening to the bickering, was so irritated she kicked over a flowerpot. "Will you all


    just stop? Mom''s still in surgery, and here you are, divvying up the estate. I''m telling you, keep this up,


    and you''ll get nothing!"


    Eliza had always been Wendy''s favorite, and for years, the members of the first and secondary


    branches of the family had been trying to curry favor with her.


    They all knew that Eliza was the real gatekeeper to Wendy''s authority. Winning her over was akin to


    pleasing the matriarch herself.


    Of the bunch, Teresa and Eliza were closest. Nancy never really liked Eliza but maintained a cordial


    facade.


    Mara, however, knew how to y the game and was always on good terms with Eliza.


    Seeing Eliza''s anger, Mara quickly came over tofort her, tears welling in her eyes. "Auntie, please


    don''t be upset. Grandma''s still in the OR. You''re our rock right now."


    Eliza patted Mara''s head. "You''re always the sweetest. I’m not mad anymore."


    After all, appearances had to be maintained.


    The corridor outside the operating room finally quieted down, and Eliza remembered the surveince


    system Wendy had installed in her room. Thus, she called for the butler.


    "Rest assured, Ms. Eliza, everything has been arranged. The footage has been edited, and it''s all been


    pinned on Vivienne. It''ll be posted online in five minutes."


    Eliza nodded her approval. "Good work. When Mom wakes up, you''ll get the reward you deserve."


    "Thank you, Ms. Eliza, and my greatest gratitude to Madam Wendy."


    The video went viral that evening, with Vivienne''s face clearly visible.


    Vivienne had a legion of fans online who adored her looks, and her multiple identities only bolstered


    her following. She had always been scandal-free.


    Once the video hit the inte, thements exploded.


    [Looks can be deceiving!]


    [How could this happen? My world is crumbling!]


    [No, not her! I''ve adored her for so long. How could she be this kind of person?]


    [To treat an elderly person like that, it''s just despicable!]


    Vivienne, being used of elder abuse, shot to the top of the trending searches.


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Many flooded Vivienne''s Twitter with insults, and of course, many were trolls paid by the Boyd family.


    But five minutester, celebrities with millions of followers like Stephen, the rising star Darren, and


    K, who had recently made aeback with "Betrothed Understud," all shared an unedited video


    with full audio of the actual surveince footage.


    They even slowed the footage of Wendy''s fake fall by twenty times to show that Vivienne never


    touched her!


    Following their lead, Vivienne''s protégés tweeted the video en masse. When Cecilia, who was scrolling


    through Twitter, saw it, she was disgusted by her mother''s actions.


    She retweeted Stephen''s post, adding: [Mom, after all these years, why are you still like this?]


    Cecilia, being the wife of the third branch of the Ellington family, was constantly in the public eye, with


    Nathan handling the Ellington Group''s affairs.


    Her direct involvement and acknowledgment of her mother''s actions fueled the public''s outrage.


    In just three minutes, the Boyd Group''s website crashed, and the inte dug up more scandals about


    the Boyd family''s workce maniption and other unsavory dealings.


    The Boyd Group''s PR could not keep up; their reputation was ruined before they could react.


    Vivienne watched Twitter with satisfaction and sent a message to Stephen, Darren, and K.


    [This month, you''re all getting a bonus!]


    The three cheered: [Long live the boss!]


    Content, Vivienne stowed her phone and parked her motorcycle outside the restaurant.


    Inside the restaurant, Gillian was dressed to kill in a floaty, ethereal gown that showcased her elegant


    corbones as she sat opposite Percival.


    Her pale, slender fingers held the cutlery as she gazed at Percival, her eyes brimming with affection.


    "Remember our first meeting? It was also in a restaurant like this. Fate really does have a sense of


    humor."


    Percival meticulously sliced his steak into neat pieces, yet none made it to his mouth.


    Touched, Gillian thought, “Is Percival cutting steak for me?”


    Perhaps he had taken Wendy''s advice and chosen to engage with her, forsaking Vivienne.


    Gillian set her utensils aside, waiting for Percival to swap their tes.


    "Mr. Ellington, you’re so considerate," she murmured, a shy sparkle in her eyes.


    Percival simply replied, "It''s what a fiancé ought to do."


    Gillian''s heart soared with secret delight. Percival was already referring to himself as her fiancé!


    She knew it; without Vivienne around, Percival would never treat her like he did at the pool.


    In Sea City, countless folks seemed eager to fall at her feet—Percival was no exception.


    "Mr. Ellington, where should the engagement party be hosted?" Gillian asked with a smile.


    In her mind''s eye, she could already envision her engagement to Percival. Content of


    Drаm??ovels.cоm


    She would be d in a pristine white gown, linking arms with Percival, exchanging rings amid the


    cheers and well-wishes of their friends and family.


    Percival paused, shook his head, and said, "No need for an engagement party; we could go straight to


    the wedding."


    The thought of Percival wanting to marry her immediately was surprising and delightful.


    "Not hasty," said Percival, his lips curving into a slight, proud, and charming smile.


    Gillian could almost lose herself in that smile.


    This was the kind of man who was worthy of her—sophisticated, noble, with an alluring charm unique


    to him alone.


    Those fawning admirers who constantly hung around her paled inparison to Percival. He was in a


    league of his own!