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

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

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

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

Vivienne was speechless.

being dragged into

prison, Leopold waited

expression, she calmly stated, "Stop waiting,

those words, Declan's body tensed, his hoarse voice breaking through, "She

said nothing but threw a photo into

moment Declan saw it, a tumult of emotions flashed in

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

back into a whole was debatable. How could

her end would be

muttered, "She never

narrowed, "What final step?

hand on Declan, guessing

deal wouldn't surface until the

don't know," Declan's voice

turned icy, "She spared your life, there must be something you promised

Anything she couldn't take with her, she'd destroy with her

chosen by her, or

I was just a means to an

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

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

the person,

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

narrowed, but it was too late to

energy, struck

such a person, but any clues to

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