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Chapter_78
Vivienne and Percival swung open the doors to the private dining room, instantly drawing the attention of everyone present. Whispers filled the air, and all eyes turned toward the couple as they entered. Vivienne’s sharp gaze met the room, noting the uneasy tension that had built in her absence.
Alisa, unable to hide her irritation, muttered loudly enough for everyone to hear, “Is this how she behaves at an engagement party? Acting all high and mighty, not even acknowledging us, the older generation? If she really does marry Percival, she’s likely to become even more arrogant and rude.”
Vivienne’s gaze was as cold as ice as she glanced at Alisa. “Did I invite you?” she asked, her voice laced with disdain.
Alisa, taken aback by Vivienne’s boldness, didn’t expect such a direct response. The Hawthorn family, who had been invited under the pretense of attending a simple engagement celebration, had managed to take over the event in a way that was nothing short of disruptive.
Vivienne’s eyes scanned the room with sharp precision. She could immediately tell that the Hawthorn family had occupied three tables, clearly more than what was intended. Furthermore, some uninvited guests had shown up, and now they were blaming her for the chaos. The audacity of it all was almost too much to bear.
Beatrice, already on edge from waiting, couldn’t hold back any longer. “You’re so rude! Can’t you even take criticism for your own faults? Is this how your mother raised you?” Beatrice yelled, her voice dripping with contempt.
Vivienne’s face darkened, and she stepped forward, her presence looming over Beatrice. “Don’t you dare mention my mother,” she said, her voice cold and dangerous. “You’re not worthy.”
Beatrice was so furious that she felt a sharp twinge in her chest. Her face flushed with rage, but she was about to retaliate when Dorian, sensing the rising tension, quickly intervened.
“Mom, if you’re here to enjoy the party, you’re welcome. But if you’re here to cause trouble for Vivienne, I’d like you to leave. This is her engagement party, and I won’t let you ruin it,” Dorian said, his tone firm and protective.
The words barely left Dorian’s mouth when Beatrice, unable to control her anger, slapped him across the face in front of everyone. “You ungrateful son!” Beatrice shouted, her voice trembling with fury. “I’m your mother! I came to my granddaughter’s engagement party, and you’re trying to kick me out in front of everyone? You think sucking up to the Ellington family gives you the right? As long as I’m alive, you’ll never be the head of the Hawthorn family!”
Vivienne’s eyes flashed dangerously as the slap echoed through the room. Percival, who had been silently observing, stepped forward, his gaze narrowed, his tone icy. “You slapped my father-in-law in front of me. Did you forget about me?”
Beatrice flinched at Percival’s words, her eyes widening in realization. She quickly recovered, though, and defiantly spoke, “Percival, he might be your father-in-law, but he’s also my son. I’m disciplining my own child. What does that have to do with you?”
She had already apologized to the Ellington family countless times for her previous behavior, fearing it might ruin the wedding, but now, in a fit of frustration, she no longer cared about maintaining appearances. Her anger took over, and she let her emotions spill out.
“I don’t care about you disciplining your son, but today is my engagement party. You slapped my father-in-law in public, which is an insult to the Ellington family,” Percival replied, his voice calm, though his words were sharp.
Before Beatrice could muster a response, Arabella, sensing the situation spiraling out of control, quickly stepped in. “Percival, I’m sorry. My grandmother was just being impulsive and said some harsh words. The party has been delayed long enough. Let’s start now; everyone’s been waiting… Percival, your leg? It’s healed?” Arabella’s words faltered as her eyes locked onto Percival’s legs.
Arabella’s sudden silence caught everyone’s attention. Just an hour ago, Percival had been in a wheelchair, and now, here he was, standing tall without any sign of discomfort. The room fell silent as all eyes shifted to Percival, who had miraculously healed.
Beatrice, still fuming, turned to look at Percival’s legs. Her mouth dropped open in disbelief. “Mr. Ellington, your leg is healed?” she asked, barely able to comprehend what she was seeing.
The realization hit her like a thunderclap. Just an hour ago, Percival had been confined to a wheelchair, and now he was standing, moving without any sign of pain. How could this be? Everyone in the room stared, unable to believe their eyes. Had Percival’s disability truly healed in the span of such a short time?
Percival ignored their astonished stares and calmly took Vivienne’s hand in his. He walked confidently toward the head table, clearly unaffected by the stares. His actions only heightened the tension in the room.
As they approached the table, the Ellington family was quick to notice Percival’s transformation. Cecilia, always observant, stood up with a shocked expression, her eyes wide as she stared at him. “Percival, your leg?!” she exclaimed.
The other members of the Ellington family exchanged confused looks, their emotions a mix of disbelief and curiosity. Percival simply shrugged, his face an expression of calm nonchalance.
“Thanks to Vivienne,” Percival explained, “I met a miracle doctor on the way to find her. His acupuncture treatment healed my leg.”
The room was buzzing with whispers. “Who is this miracle doctor?” one person asked. “How could someone heal a disabled person with just one acupuncture treatment?”
“Could it be that famous miracle doctor? The one who can supposedly bring people back from the dead?” another voice added.
“Percival is so lucky to meet him,” someone else whispered. “I heard that doctor’s whereabouts are unpredictable. Many people have spent a fortune searching for him but never found him.”
Arabella, who had been listening intently, clenched her hands tightly at her sides. She had not expected Percival’s miraculous recovery, especially not at the engagement party. If Percival’s leg was healed, he would no longer be disabled, which could change everything.
Percival, now standing tall, had become even more favored in the eyes of Richard, who had always doted on him. With Percival standing, it seemed inevitable that he would take over the Ellington family’s business, and Arabella’s earlier decision to turn down the marriage proposal now seemed like a huge mistake.
Cecilia, overcome with emotion, wiped away her tears as she held Percival’s hand. “Your leg is healed. It’s truly healed. I can finally breathe easy,” she sobbed, relief flooding her features.
Her eyes then shifted to Richard, and a sudden thought seemed to dawn on her. She turned to him and said, “Dad, since Percival’s leg is fine, then about this marriage…”
But Richard shot her a stern look, silencing her before she could say more. Ignoring her, he turned to Dorian and stated, “Dorian, we can kick off the engagement ceremony now.”
Dorian, still processing the chaos, nodded, though his voice was calm. “Richard, you’re the elder. It’s only fitting that you should steer the ship for the wedding ceremony.”
Without any hesitation, Richard stood up, his voice commanding and authoritative. “Today is the engagement party of my grandson, Percival, and Vivienne from the Hawthorn family. First off, I wish them a lifetime of togetherness, a hundred years of bliss, and a life filled with happiness.”
As Richard made his speech, the dowry was brought forward, laid out on a tray wrapped in silk. “Here’s 88 grand,” Richard said, addressing Dorian. “You might want to give it a count.”
Just as Dorian was about to speak, Beatrice, still agitated by the earlier events, stood up abruptly. “Only 88,000 for the dowry?” she snapped. “How is this possible? We clearly discussed a 10 million dowry. Richard, isn’t this a bit of a low blow?”
Joseph chimed in, his voice laced with anger. “Yeah, Vivienne is a daughter of the Hawthorn family. The Hawthorns hold a high social standing in Havenwood. Giving only 88,000 for the dowry is a slap in our face!”
Michael also added his voice to the growing protest. “I think you don’t genuinely want Vivienne to marry into your family. If that’s the case, we’re calling off the engagement.”
