At the Boyd Mansion, a shadow began to cast itself over Percival Ellington's usually charming features.
Truth be told, he had not frequented the Boyd Mansion often, but the few times he did, his visits invariably ended with Cecilia in tears.
As a kid, he could not fathom why the Boyds had such contempt for his mother. As he grew up, the reasons became apparent, and he stopped coming altogether.
Vivienne gazed out the car window. The Boyd Mansion was a majestic sight, grander even than the Brooks Mansion, which Maddox Perez had offhandedly referred to as "little space." "Percival, Ma'am, we've arrived," announced Thomas as he switched off the engine and stepped out to open the car door.
Percival helped Vivienne out of the car, and they stood in front of the massive gates of the Boyd Mansion. His eyes, deep as the ocean, seemed unfathomable.
He stepped forward and rang the doorbell.
"Who's there?" Came an inquiry through the intercom.
A slight frown creased Percival's brow as he replied, "Percival."
There was a momentary pause on the other end before the gate was buzzed open.
The wrought iron gate swung open slowly, yet curiously, no one came out to greet them.
Percival's frown deepened, a thin veil of anger enveloping him.
Vivienne gently tapped the back of his hand and offered a reassuring smile.
The anger surrounding Percival dissipated instantly, and with a smile, he took Vivienne's hand, and they walked in together.
At the entrance, two servants stood aside, revealing a man in a casual suit, the Boyd family butler. "Mr. Ellington, I presume. Please come in. The matriarch has been awaiting you." Percival did not respond, intending to proceed with Vivienne.
Unexpectedly, the butler stepped in their way.
hand, Percival was sure he would have taken off the butler's arm with
room for a cleansing shower before they can meet with the matriarch. You haven't forgotten our
thing,
the Boyd Mansion hiding a
processing
forward, gripping the butler's arm with her ring-adorned hand. A gentle squeeze was all
head, and as he was about to
heirloom ring
it end up in the hands of
expression, Vivienne's lips curved slightly upward. "Isn't there a Boyd family rule that requires
butler, clutching his limp arm, knelt
had many such protocols. In fact, many families did, but as time passed and the world changed, these rules were slowly forgotten, especially by the younger generation,
spoken
of the family mentioned them, no one dared
the ground, Vivienne
"Ma'am,
hurried into the Boyd
"Trouble, matriarch!"
butler burst in, agitation written all over his wrinkled face. "What's the
reading glasses, Wendy
that slut... That woman has the long-missing patriarch's
ever composed, was visibly shaken at the mention of the
had searched for that ring for thirty years to
it, giving it to that cheap woman
best friends, which was why she could marry into the Boyd
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