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Chapter_80
The announcement sent a ripple through the room. Everyone froze, staring at Richard in shock. Percival? His successor? It was unexpected, but not entirely out of the question. Richard had always been a reserved man, and many knew that Percival had been groomed for leadership for years. Yet, the timing of it—right in the middle of this tense engagement party—was striking.
Beatrice’s eyes widened, her voice catching in her throat. She hadn’t expected this sudden shift of power. “But Richard… you’re not even… are you sure? Percival is still young, and there’s so much—”
Richard raised his hand to silence her, his tone calm but final. “I’ve made my decision. Percival has proven himself capable, and it’s time for me to step back. He will take the reins from here on out. The future of the Ellington family is in his hands.”
Vivienne couldn’t help but feel a sense of satisfaction at the bold move. This was a game-changer. Percival had always been a figure of immense potential, but now his power was official, and the Hawthorns would have to reckon with that. She glanced at Percival, who remained calm, his eyes not betraying any of the inner workings of his thoughts.
Beatrice looked utterly stunned, and Joseph sputtered in disbelief. “This is absurd! You can’t just hand everything over to him like that!”
“Actually,” Percival spoke up, his voice steady and filled with authority, “it’s exactly what I’m going to do. The Ellington family needs a new direction, and I’m more than capable of giving it that. So, from now on, my decisions stand.”
Dorian, still standing close to Vivienne, couldn’t help but admire Percival’s composure. “You’ve got the right to take control,” Dorian said quietly, almost to himself. His own future in the family seemed less certain with every passing minute.
Beatrice, however, was not ready to back down. Her eyes darted around, considering her options. The 10-million-dollar dowry seemed more important than ever now, and she had lost a crucial battle by being left out of the power shift.
“Well,” Beatrice said with a sneer, clearly trying to regain some of her lost ground, “if the dowry’s still up for discussion, then maybe we can talk about it with Percival. After all, he is now the one holding the strings.”
Vivienne’s expression didn’t falter, but she could feel the pressure mounting on her. “No more discussion,” she said coldly. “The dowry stands as it is. Any attempt to force further changes will only hurt the Hawthorn family more.”
Percival nodded in agreement. “Vivienne’s right. I’ve made my choice, and so has the family. It’s over.”
The tension in the room was palpable as the realization hit that the Ellingtons were no longer negotiating from a position of weakness. Richard had set the stage for a new power dynamic—one that would benefit his grandson, the one with the ambition and strength to carry on the family legacy.
As the engagement party slowly resumed, the eyes of everyone present were fixed not on the ceremony itself but on the shifting allegiances and the uncertain future of the Hawthorn family.
Beatrice’s face twisted with frustration, but she held her tongue. This wasn’t over yet, but for now, she had no choice but to let things unfold on Percival’s terms.
Vivienne felt a sense of quiet satisfaction wash over her. She had survived the first battle—and won, at that. But in this game, it was just the beginning. There would be more twists to come.
