The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

The chat group was quiet at first, filled with question marks. Then, like a stone thrown into a pond, messages began to flood in.

It was like a bomb had gone off.

Jerry Perez, the second oldest, chimed in: "Leopold, that trick won't work on us!"

Daniel, the third, added: "No offense, Leopold, but you're just not in the same league as us."

Eric, the fourth, joked: "Leopold's definitely got some delusions of grandeur."

Old-man Dawson couldn't believe it: "Has Leopold lost his mind? ... The nerve to say that, did you eat lion's heart and leopard's courage?"

Donald, the sixth, laughed: "Leopold, you're trying to kill us with laughter. If Vivienne would let her kid call you godfather, I'd call you godfather too!" Enzo agreed: "Seconded!"

Larry, the eighth, added: "Seconded +1!"

Gary sent a long voice message, laughing so hard he couldn't even speak.

Leopold, feeling smug, was driving with one hand and replied with a voice message, specifically tagging Donald.

"Come on, Donald, the master is still here. If you call me godfather... that's like shortening my life!"

"And if you dared, I wouldn't dare accept."

The group went silent.

Then, Old-man Dawson sent a message, "Leopold, did Vivienne confirm this herself?"

Leopold couldn't suppress his grin. "Dawson, you too? Would I dare share the news with you guys if Vivienne hadn't agreed?"

With that, Leopold closed his phone, feeling victorious as the group's messages kept coming.

He had secured his position as godfather.

The next day, when Vivienne got into the car, she saw Leopold grinning from ear to ear as if he'd stumbled upon some great fortune.

asked, "Did you and Griffin Martinez elope or

too? You know how tightly the Martinez family guards Griffin. If I dared to elope, they'd skin me alive." Vivienne narrowed her eyes, "Then

"I told the guys about you agreeing to my request. Let them die of

the godfather of your two kids. Let's see who dares to mess

Vivienne was speechless.

she being dragged into

the prison, Leopold

approached Declan alone, facing his stoic expression, she calmly

hoarse

but threw a photo into his

saw it, a tumult of

As for any chances of her making a comeback, it's almost nil." The photo had

be pieced back into a whole was debatable. How could

Anna involved, her

he muttered, "She never made it to the final

eyes narrowed, "What final

Declan, guessing there was some

surface

know," Declan's

there must be something you promised her.

to let anyone else complete her grand vision. Anything she couldn't

chosen by

a means to an end for her. Now that

regarded you as expendable. Yet, here you are, alive.

He

gleam in her eyes, "Name the person, and I'll grant you a quick

"What does death matter? The world is flawed. After my death,

it

inner energy, struck his own temple, ending

person, but any clues to their identity were

the scene. Draven bowed deeply, "My apologies, we failed in our