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 Martinez elope or

tightly the Martinez family guards Griffin. If I dared

car, smiling at Vivienne in the rearview mirror, "I told the guys about you agreeing to my request. Let them die

godfather of your two kids. Let's

Vivienne was speechless.

was she being

the prison,

expression, she calmly stated, "Stop waiting, Abigail

his hoarse

said nothing but threw a photo

tumult of emotions flashed

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

Abigail's remains could be pieced back into a whole was debatable. How

her end would

as he muttered, "She never made it to the

final step? Who

hand on Declan, guessing there

this deal wouldn't surface

know," Declan's voice was

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

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

person was chosen by her, or related to her,

was just a means to an end for

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

Declan could scheme. He must harbor

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

bitterly, "What does death matter? The world is flawed. After my death, someone else will

narrowed, but it

the last of his inner energy, struck his own temple, ending his

a person, but

team rushed in, shocked at the scene. Draven bowed deeply, "My apologies, we failed in