The Million-Dollar Heart (Percival and Vivienne)

Hearing Thomas's voice, Brody didn't bother looking up. "The sorry state he's in? I crafted that with my own two hands. The misery he's swallowing is my painstaking labor of love. Seeing the fruits of my labor take effect is truly satisfying. The more he suffers, the more

potent my potion proves to be. How could I not be thrilled?"

After finishing the sandwich in his hand, Brody let out a leisurely burp. "Looks like I'll have to bring more snacks next time."

When it came to a wicked sense of humor, Thomas had nothing on Brody.

Clearly, Brody was just there to check on Connor's condition. After gobbling down his snack, he clapped Thomas on the shoulder, ready to leave, "Keep me posted if anything goes south. I've got to grab something more to eat. I'm out."

Brody vanished as swiftly as he had arrived, leaving Thomas to carry out his usual checks on Connor. By the time he emerged, his clothes were stained with more than a few spots of blood.

The guard couldn't help but peek inside at the sight.

Outside the school gates.

Vivienne and Percival had arrived at the school gates bright and early, only to find that other parents were just as eager to see their little ones.

Their arrival didn't go unnoticed, drawing curious glances and hushed whispers from the other parents.

"Those two look so young, their kid's already in elementary school? They barely look out of their twenties, quite the match. Wonder how cute their kid must be."

"Do they even look like parents? More like they're here to pick up a niece or nephew. What kind of college kids have kids?"

"Looks more like aunt and uncle to me."

Their whispers didn't miss Vivienne and Percival's ears, prompting a suppressed chuckle from Vivienne.

Being mistaken for being in her twenties? Flattering, but troublesome.

Vivienne glanced at Percival, "Following me around, you're getting the better end of the deal, looking like you've knocked a decade off your age."

Percival simply smiled in response, playing along, "Yeah, who'd think we're parents?"

He gently brushed his finger across Vivienne's nose.

The other parents were witnessing a scene straight out of a rom-com, especially given how attractive both Vivienne and Percival were, making their interactions seem all the more genuine and endearing. As the school bell rang, kids began to flood out of the building.

"Mummy!"

Juliette and her brother immediately spotted Vivienne and Percival, waving excitedly at them.

The teacher from yesterday greeted Vivienne with a smile, allowing the kids to run over.

"Mummy, you're early today!" Juliette bounded over to Vivienne's side.

Vivienne bent down to ruffle her hair, with Isaiah approaching more calmly, though still quicker than usual.

"How was school today?" Vivienne playfully messed with both kids' faces.

"Super good!" Juliette piped up first.

"Awesome to hear," the family of four intertwined hands, heading towards the parking lot.

In the distance, a solitary figure, Floyd, watched the scene with a hint of envy. Even after a long absence, his parents' love for Juliette and her brother was undiminished, wasn't it?

Floyd's heart sank as he remembered Juliette's words to him earlier that day, his head drooping.

"Your parents love you? How come I never see them pick you up? You always tease me, but now my mum and dad are back. Where are yours?"

Indeed, where were his?

It seemed to Floyd that his parents had eyes only for their endless work.

"The young master should head back," the nanny said, having found Floyd standing still amidst the crowd. "Your parents are waiting at home, excited to see you!"

The nanny's excitement was palpable. After all, she was one of the few in the household who truly cared for him, thrilled whenever his parents returned home.

"I've got your favorite dinner waiting.

Have a good chat with them tonight. Let's have a happy evening," she said, her smile somehow stinging Floyd's eyes. He wondered if his parents would end up arguing over dinner and leaving early, as they often did.

On the drive home, Floyd's thoughts were a whirlwind of hope and longing for a life like Juliette's, where even in their parents' absence, there were loving guardians. All he had was his nanny. Floyd looked back one last time, now only able to see the car driving Juliette and her family away.Property © of NôvelDrama.Org.

"What?" Vivienne frowned, pulling the phone away from her ear to look at Juliette, "Okay, I'll make sure to talk to her about it when we get home. Sorry for the trouble."

Juliette, sensing trouble from Vivienne's glance, watched her smile fade, knowing all too well the impending "discussion."

As expected, Vivienne's first move after ending the call was to turn to the kids, "What exactly happened at school today? I need you two to be upfront with me."

After a brief exchange of looks, Isaiah spoke up, "There was a bit of a misunderstanding with Floyd, that's all."

"Why didn't you mention this at the school gates? And teaming up against him?"

"I didn't want you to be mad at me," Juliette mumbled, avoiding eye contact. "It wasn't really a fight, just... showing him his place."

She hadn't anticipated their teacher would spill the beans to Vivienne; she had hoped to bury the secret forever.

Vivienne, arms crossed, her tone icy, "Did I ever teach you to bully your peers?"

Juliette, seeing her mother's anger, bit her lip, "We weren't bullying him-he bullies us too! You can't just scold us because he ended up sad. You ignore it when we're upset!"

Vivienne's heart tightened at those words, her anger dissipating rapidly.

Percival felt a similar pang of discomfort, both parents caught off guard by their own reactions, unsure of what to say next.

After what seemed like an eternity, Vivienne crouched down and pulled Juliette into a warm embrace. "I'm sorry," was all she managed to say, despite the whirlwind of thoughts and feelings inside her.

For the past few years, she had indeed been too caught up in her own world.

Percival was still deep undercover in the Wolf's Den, and the shadowy figures behind Abigail remained at large. She had to neutralize every hidden threat to ensure the safety of her children. Despite knowing how much her kids yearned for more of her presence, she had been too busy chasing her own duties.

Now that Connor was finally behind bars, she could breathe a sigh of relief and start to soften her usually strict demeanor. But...

It seemed the emotional scars on her children were only deepening.

Juliette looked up at Vivienne, her gaze lingering before she slowly spoke, "Mommy, you've changed. I like the new you!"

Before Vivienne could respond,

Juliette continued, "You don't have to apologize to us. We should have done better. Our parents are serving the country, dealing with things beyond their control. We should be understanding and, besides, we've always taken care of ourselves. We weren't bullied, just teased by classmates."

"Actually, it didn't hurt us. This time, we were the ones who hurt a classmate. It was our fault!" Juliette said seriously. "We should apologize to Floyd."

Vivienne felt a pang of guilt, "How about your dad and I pick you up from school every day from now on?"

Juliette and Isaiah nodded in unison, "Yes!"

Vivienne and Percival exchanged a smile.

They had missed out on so much with their children; it was time to make amends!

Parents always worry about their child's well-being; had Floyd's parents been aware of the situation, there would likely have been an uproar Yet Vivienne thought it unnecessary to stir the pot further.

She had checked on Floyd's background earlier. The Field family was just a small business in her eyes, but Floyd's photo struck a familiar chord with her, though she couldn't quite place why.