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

his jacket and draped it over

“Dad said you were alright, so he

arms around Leopold, her

was not sure

Griffin pulled back slightly, sniffling. “Couldn’t you

the woman who was either forcing him to marry her, chasing after him on a motorbike, or swinging his custom-made whip at those

little, he blinked in surprise. “You

the shin, annoyed. All the tears

Leopold yelped, rubbing his

attempt to stand

see her

never to make her

hand in

she held his gaze, her hand burning in

had never doubted Leopold’s innocence, and she was glad her unwavering trust

face in the curve of his neck. “I’m just so relieved you’re okay,

his hands, hesitating before wrapping them

pulled them around her waist,

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

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

he

they could

and Vivienne shared a laugh

some fresh air,” Jasper said as he

help but was a

her own hands, Diana watched Vivienne walk away with Jasper, her

always in the way? Before Vivienne was here, she had always

more certain that Vivienne would be her biggest obstacle

scooped up the children. “Come on, Percival, let’s join them. The

have wanted to talk to Vivienne privately, and he would not intrude on that.Books Chapters Are