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.

"Did you and

You know how tightly the Martinez family guards Griffin. If I dared to

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

godfather of your two kids. Let's

Vivienne was speechless.

being dragged

prison, Leopold

facing his stoic expression, she calmly

Declan's body tensed, his hoarse

said nothing but threw a photo into

a tumult of emotions flashed in his

"I personally dealt 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 by

remains could be pieced back into a whole was

Anna involved, her

muttered, "She never made it

final step? Who is

on Declan, guessing there was some deal between him and

wouldn't surface until

Declan's

something you promised her. How could you not

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

person was chosen by her, or related to her, it's a

wrong tree. I was just a means to an end for her. Now

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

deep Declan could scheme. He must

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

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

eyes narrowed, but it was

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

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

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