Jeffrey had always been a hothead, and Vivienne's challenge sent him over the edge.
In a fit of rage, he hurled his phone at her, shouting, "Are you behind all this crap?"
Vivienne merely glanced at the phone lying on the floor, her elegant features cool and detached. She did not move an inch, just quietly observing Jeffrey.
At that moment, Percival stepped forward and crushed Jeffrey's phone underfoot, swiftly turning it into a heap of electronic waste.
The next second, Jeffrey found himself unable to move. Panic crossed his face. "Vivienne, what the hell did you do to me?" His eyes bore into hers, but other than his eyes and his mouth, nothing else in his body responded to his mind.
With a casual flick of her hair behind her ear, Vivienne replied indifferently, "An eye for an eye. You have a problem with that?"
"You!"
Before Jeffrey could retort, Vivienne's fingers twitched, and a silver needle flew from her fingertips.
Jeffrey's words were instantly cut off.
Seeing the scene unfold, Henry realized his options were dwindling. The only path left was to plead with his father, Richard.
He dropped to his knees before Richard, begging, "Dad! I messed up. Please give me another chance. I swear I'll never do this again. I can't go to jail!
I just wasn't thinking, Dad. Please, for all the years I've dedicated to our family business, forgive me this once."
He knew the gravity of his situation.
The money he had embezzled over the years was enough to land him behind bars!
Richard placed his cane down and slowly sat on the couch, his aged face void of expression. "As of today, you are no longer welcome at the company, and don't you dare show your face in this house again!"
Henry felt as though he had been struck by lightning.
Was Richard casting him out from the Ellington family?
What about the tax authorities?
Could he even get out of this?
"Dad, I'm your son! Fiona's still suffering, Jeffrey's still sick, and we have no means of income. You can't just kick me out, Dad!"
Henry clung to Richard's leg, wailing.
But Richard pushed him away. "If it weren't for this mess, would you still be here begging me? All of you, get out! I never want to see you again!"
Heloise was dumbfounded. Her son was a wreck on the sofa, her husband was to be taken away, and her daughter was still in jail. The future looked bleak.
Heloise's heart hardened when her eyes landed on Vivienne, sitting there with a faint smile. She grabbed a vase from the table and hurled it at Vivienne.
"You little wretch, this is all your fault! I'll kill you!"
With a swift kick, Vivienne sent her flying.
Heloise landed on the broken vase, a shard slicing a long gash across her face. She always prized her beauty, and now, disfigured, she felt worse than dead.
She looked at the blood in her hands and screamed, "Ah! My face!"
Vivienne frowned at the noise.
So annoying.
Another silver needle flew out with a flick of her wrist, silencing Heloise's cries.
Vivienne cleared her ears.
Much better.
Why could it not always be this quiet?
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