The Million-Dollar Heart

Kala felt a ripple of anxiety; she certainly did not want the Brooks family to become tabloid fodder again.

It was not about her rising career but the desire to preserve the harmonious unity of the Brooks family from fragmenting into scandal.

Vivienne's gaze dropped slightly before she spoke softly, "There's a bit of an issue."

Kala's heart clenched with worry. "Vivienne, please tell me it's not something to do with Dad..."

Her words stumbled out of her, knotted with nerves.

No, it could not be!

Her father was the epitome of kindness, incapable of harming a soul.

Though she tried to reassure herself, Kala's palms were drenched with sweat from her mounting tension.

"Let's discuss it when he gets back," Vivienne said as she sat down and pulled out her phone to call Timothy, telling him to return home.

Meanwhile, with Cheryl's support, Baron made his way out of his room.

Kala rushed to help Baron down the stairs, her mind racing with apprehension.

She had no clue what would unfold next.

But she was certain that whatever was about to happen would once again turn the Brooks family upside down.

"Vivienne, what's on your mind?" Baron asked, his aged eyes betraying a hint of guilt.

Vivienne smiled faintly. "Let's wait until everyone's here."

Baron did not press further, but his grip on his cane tightened, his hand slick with anxious perspiration.

Soon, Timothy and Ronald returned, and alongside them walked Ashley with her brother Darren and Melissa in tow.

With the Brooks family gathered, silence fell, all eyes on Vivienne and Percival.

glancing at Leopold, seeking clues as to what was

shrugged; he was clueless about the announcement Vivienne was

family's all here. Whatever you need to say,

her gaze on Percival, her clear eyes shimmering with feigned confusion. "Mr. Wolf, am I bad at counting?

chuckle at her expression, playfully pinching

up to? We're all quite busy, and frankly,

relationship had never been overly warm, but certainly not as strained as

she had not caused any trouble for Ashley, allowing a peaceful coexistence. But ever since Vivienne aired some family

seemed to look down on them as if she

to

towards the wardrobe behind Baron,

sweat

in his voice, "That's just

being ridiculous. "Can you stop with the theatrics? If there's something to say,

pulled his sister back, worried she might provoke

upset," Darren said with a nervous chuckle, trying to defuse the

ignored the comments and simply

and approached the cabinet, dismantling

up, his tone detached, "Rivenwood suburb apartment 36, South Ridge Community villa 5, East County Villa 17, Sovereign Community 19-3... Timothy, do any of these

question

no knowledge of

at Ronald, who also shook his head

other properties, they're usually nearby. The houses you mentioned are unfamiliar to us."

cabinet as they spoke, revealing a

cabinet was

Baron, who

a dismantled plank, Leopold

her gaze on Baron and said to Leopold, "You have

What could that

did not recall having

he reached into his pocket, he found a

Typical Vivienne, always prepared.

in his hand and