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.

and Griffin Martinez elope

know how tightly the Martinez family guards 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 my request. Let them die

kids. Let's see who

Vivienne was speechless.

was she being dragged into

the prison, Leopold

his stoic expression, she calmly stated, "Stop

body tensed, his hoarse voice breaking through,

nothing but threw a photo into his

a tumult of

with her. Her body is now in the research lab. As for any chances of her making a comeback, it's almost nil." The photo had been sent

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

Anna involved, her

as he muttered, "She never made it to the

eyes narrowed, "What final step?

hand on Declan, guessing there was some

surface until the very

know," Declan's

spared your life, there must be something you

grand vision. Anything she couldn't take with her, she'd destroy with her own hands." Vivienne scoffed, knowing

not, but if this person was chosen by

wrong tree. I was just a means to

she regarded you as expendable. Yet, here you

how deep Declan could scheme. He must harbor

restrained the gleam in her eyes, "Name the person, and

death matter? The world is flawed. After my death, someone

but it was too

last of his inner energy,

confirmed there was indeed such a person, but any clues to their identity were

in, shocked at the scene. Draven bowed deeply, "My