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.

you and Griffin

Griffin. If I dared to elope, they'd skin me alive." Vivienne

the car, smiling at Vivienne in the rearview mirror, "I told the guys about you agreeing to

kids. Let's

Vivienne was speechless.

being dragged into

prison,

facing his stoic expression, she calmly stated,

hoarse voice breaking through,

threw a

Declan saw it, a tumult of emotions flashed in

Her body is now in the research lab. As for any chances of her

could be pieced back into a whole was debatable.

involved, her end would

he muttered, "She never made it to the

"What final step?

laid a hand on Declan, guessing there was some deal between him and

deal wouldn't surface until

don't know," Declan's voice

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

shifted uncomfortably, "She was too arrogant 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

by her, or related to her, it's a

to an end for her. Now that

"You've gone to great lengths for her, yet she regarded you as expendable. Yet,

Declan could scheme. He must harbor some of Abigail's secrets, deeply

the person, and I'll

is flawed. After my death, someone else will

but it was too late

his inner energy, struck his own

indeed such a person, but any clues to their identity

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