The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Zelda nearly dropped her whisk when Leopold came crashing down onto the cobblestone path with a thud.

“Blimey, Leopold, that’s flagstone, you absolute brute!” She exclaimed, still half-focused on perfecting her cake recipe.

Jasper could not help but chuckle at the scene. “Alright, alright, enough with the dramatics. Get up,” he said with a grin.

Leopold rose, shaking his head with a laugh and holding a gift box. “Well, Sir, these are some of your favorite things. I wasn’t sure what you’d like, so I just grabbed a bit of everything.”

Jasper’s smile widened. “You’re quite the character, kid. No wonder that Martinez girl fancies you so much. Speaking of which, aren’t you going to come out?”

Hearing this, Leopold froze, his feet suddenly as heavy as lead.

His heart stopped for a moment as if encased in ice.

Vivienne and Percival exchanged glances that did not need words; it was clear Leopold was in the dark.

Percival just shrugged. If he knew, would he have even shown up?

Thomas muttered under his breath, “Percival’s as ruthless as ever.”

Zelda, putting aside her baking tools, dragged Griffin out from the shadows. “No use hiding now, love. It’s not like you’re being dragged to the altar.”

Griffin Martinez stood at the threshold, her eyes cast down, her feet rooted to the spot.

Both of them were wracked with unspeakable thoughts and mutual guilt.

Vivienne nudged Leopold forward with a swift kick. “Snap out of it, will ya?”

Leopold stumbled into Griffin’s space, and she looked up, her eyes rimmed with unshed tears, at a loss for words.

Zelda snickered and finally remembered to turn off the oven while she, along with Natalia and Yasmine, quietly exited the kitchen.

Percival and Vivienne ushered Jasper to the back garden, leaving the two frozen figures alone in their awkward silence.

caused Griffin to shiver

off his jacket and draped it over Griffin’s

said you were alright, so

arms around Leopold, her sobs muffled against

aback, was not sure

while, Griffin pulled back slightly, sniffling. “Couldn’t you try to comfort me just

had always been the woman who was either forcing him to marry her, chasing after him

he blinked in surprise.

deep breath and kicked him in the shin, annoyed. All the tears she had shed for him when he was

yelped, rubbing

away as she saw Leopold’s comical attempt to stand on one leg, and she could

up to see her smile through

that moment, he vowed never to

in his. “Smile more, it suits

beat as she held his gaze, her hand

Leopold’s innocence, and she was glad her unwavering trust in

face in the curve of his neck.

raised his hands, hesitating

took his hands and pulled them around her waist,

hiding spot, Vivienne rolled her eyes. “Hopeless,” she

sighed. “Yeah, he seems pretty hopeless. Our dad’s way

at bedtime, he never lets us sleep

their mouths before they could reveal

Vivienne shared a laugh

let’s go for a stroll, shall we? I could use some fresh air,” Jasper said as he stood up from

reached out to help but was

her own hands, Diana watched Vivienne walk

was here, she had always been the one

certain that Vivienne would be

let’s join them. The

must have wanted to talk to Vivienne privately, and he would not intrude on that.Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join &