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

are you teasing me too? You know how tightly the Martinez family guards Griffin. If I dared to elope, they'd skin

mirror, "I told the guys about you

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

Vivienne was speechless.

being

the prison,

expression, she

tensed, his hoarse voice breaking through, "She can't

but threw a photo

it, a tumult

lab. As for any

be pieced back into a whole was debatable. How could she start

Anna involved, her end

he muttered, "She never

narrowed, "What final

on Declan, guessing there was some deal

wouldn't surface until

don't know," Declan's voice was

icy, "She spared your life, there must be something you promised her. How could you

to let anyone else complete her grand vision. Anything she couldn't take with her, she'd destroy with her own hands." Vivienne scoffed, knowing Declan was deliberately

chosen by her, or related

was just a means to an end for her. Now that Abigail is dead, do with

gone to great lengths for her, yet she regarded you as expendable. Yet, here you are, alive. Do you think I'd

how deep Declan could scheme. He

the gleam in her eyes, "Name the person,

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

narrowed, but it was too late

inner energy, struck his

person, but any clues to their identity were now

the scene. Draven bowed deeply, "My