The Million-Dollar Heart (Percival and Vivienne) novel Chapter 474

Micah had reached his boiling point. With a swift motion that spoke volumes of his vexation, he grabbed the folder from the table and brought it crashing down on Leopold's head. "Damn it, Leopold, I’m just asking you to deliver a message to her!"

Rubbing his sore head, Leopold mumbled, "Alright, what's the message?"

"Tell her that the head office is interested in striking a deal with her about the new explosives project..."

"Impossible!" Leopold cut him off. "That's Vivienne's cash cow. You might as well fire me. Vivienne's in it for the money. If I cross her by messing with her income, I'm as good as dead."

Trying to maintain his composure, Micah spoke softly, "You're just the messenger. Whether Griffin agrees or not is up to her. The higher-ups can't locate her, so they can't reach out directly."

"But still, no can do, boss. I'm begging you, don't make me be the one to tell her. I'd walk through fire or climb a mountain for you, but crossing Vivienne? No way. Please, have a heart!" Leopold pleaded, his hands clasped together in earnest supplication.

Micah was at a loss for words at the pitiful sight. He waved his hand dismissively. "Get out of my sight."

"Sure thing!" Leopold's face lit up with relief. He backed out of the office with a wide grin, even thoughtfully closing the door behind him.

But the smile vanished without a trace no sooner had he stepped outside.

Leopold cast a long look at the plaque on Micah's office door that read 'Deputy Director.' His expression grew even more somber.

Pulling out a phone he exclusively used to contact other disciples, he sent a message to Vivienne that read, [Griffin, Belle.]

Meanwhile, Vivienne was savoring a roasted pork knuckle when her smartwatch buzzed with the incoming message. A sly smile crossed her lips.

As expected, their interest was not just in Belle.

Back in the office, Micah took out a brand-new phone and made a call.

"Yeah, no news yet. Alright, got it."

He ended the call, and pocketed it. A heavy sigh escaped him, his eyes clouded with an unreadable darkness.

...

At the Ellington Mansion.

Flynn was shaken when he heard about Kenneth's car accident and promptly confiscated his keys.

"It's too dangerous. You're not allowed to drive anymore. I'll get you a chauffeur."

Kenneth protested, "It was an accident. And it wasn't me who wanted to crash; they hit me."

"That doesn't matter."

"Aunt Imogen, look at Uncle Flynn," Kenneth appealed to his aunt for support.

Engrossed in her tablet and sketching dress designs, Imogen shot Flynn an admonishing look. "Flynn, Kenneth's an adult. And the DMV said it was the motorcycle gang's fault for breaking the rules first. Besides, Kenneth needs to travel between the team and Elite University. It would be so inconvenient without a car."

"Exactly, Flynn!" Kenneth mimicked Imogen's tone.

Imogen blushed. "Mock me again, and I won't help you."

Flynn reluctantly returned the keys to Kenneth, reminding him, "Just be careful when you drive. Go talk to your grandfather; he was scared half to death by the news."

"Okay." Kenneth pocketed his keys, thinking about the inconvenience of having a chauffeur during his trips to Elite University.

Watching Kenneth's retreating figure, Flynn shook his head, "This kid, nothing like Percival when he was younger."

"Percival's not exactly old now, you know?" Imogen pinched Flynn's nose playfully, tapping his cheek. "And neither are you."

Indeed, he and Stephen were two distinct styles.

One was a charming nobleman leaving a trail of broken hearts, the other a naive youth.

Clashing together, they might just spark something extraordinary.

"I have some candidates in mind. Can they come in for an interview at the company tomorrow?" Vivienne asked.

Imogen nodded thoughtfully. "No need to rush. Shouldn't we at least give their agents or teams a call?"

"No need," Vivienne dismissed with a wave, confident in her authority to make the call.

That very night, Vivienne texted both Stephen and Darren to relay the news.

The next morning, Stephen, the reigning heartthrob and top influencer, showed up at the Ellington Group for an audition, closely followed by Darren, the industry's rising star.

Word had gotten around Ellington Group that two male celebrities would be coming in for auditions, but no one anticipated it would be them!

The Ellington Group, despite its clout, could not usually secure an appointment with stars of their caliber without at least a three-day notice.

Flynn glanced at Percival. "Your Vivienne, she's something else."

"Of course," Percival nodded with a knowing smile.

Flynn could not shake off the feeling that his nephew's eyes were mocking him with a "haven't you ever seen a star?" kind of vibe.

The Ellington Group did not take long to seal the deal with Stephen and Darren. They managed to get their promotional shots done that same day.

When the official announcement was made, Darren's popularity skyrocketed. Though he did not quite eclipse Stephen, he was certainly hot on his heels.