The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Chapter 1072

Five years later.

At the Rivenwood Public Kindergarten, in the office.

"Snap!"

"I'm at my wit's end, just look at this! How many times has it been?"

The headteacher's face was a palette of frustration, sitting at her desk, eyes blazing with anger.

What on earth had she done in her past life to deserve dealing with these two little reincarnations of mischief?

Leopold glanced at the photo on the desk, his mouth twitching in annoyance, yet he managed to maintain his composure. "Kiera, please, calm down. Have some tea. Whatever the cost, we'll cover it twice over. Kids will be kids, after all. Please be patient with them." Outside the window, two kids in red uniforms were tiptoeing to peek inside, watching Leopold bending over backward to smooth things over.

One whispered to the other, "Sis, think Uncle Leo can smooth things over with Kiera this time?"

Juliette blinked her eyes, a relieved expression on her face, "Uncle Leo's handled this stuff loads of times. Piece of cake. Besides, who else could we possibly call?"

Isaiah, his face betraying a maturity beyond his years, countered, "But what if Uncle Leo goes back and snitches to Mom again?"

At the mention, Juliette's eyes sparkled with mischief, mirroring the look of their mother Vivienne, "I have a plan, guaranteed to keep Uncle Leo from breathing a word of this."

Isaiah, skeptical, moved closer to hear her out but was already doubting the feasibility.

"Are you sure?"

"Remember last time? Uncle Leo tried to cover for you, and mom gave him one look, and he spilled everything. We ended up kneeling at the door for an entire afternoon. Forgot about that?"

If it weren't for grandpa stepping in, sending grandma to plead on their behalf, they'd have been kneeling till midnight, thanks to mom's temper.

Juliette raised an eyebrow, confidence oozing, "This time it's different. Uncle Leo will definitely agree."

Inside the office.

persuasion and promises from

couldn't just

your responsibility to educate them, not just lip

kids

what Vivienne

was left holding the bag

Rivenwood had pegged him as the

he to complain

into their coloring book,

was when Griffin, after taking care of the kids for two days while Leopold was sick, vowed

Leopold swallowed his bitterness, "Don't worry, I'll talk to

to the window, "Juliette, Isaiah, get in here and

was simmering with anger but kept the speed to a steady 30 mph for the sake of the two troublemakers in

are we

wanted to be left alone with his

"You're not planning to

frustration peaked, "Get

you? After

who'd take

your playgrounds. If I brought you home, there'd

about this, see if

welling up, "Uncle Leo, do you not want us

vented, "Count them.

starting preschool, how many

I hadn't intervened, you'd have led a whole

alone terrified

had made all the fancy kindergartens in Rivenwood wary of

with no choice but to turn to public schools

see the

at his wit's end, "It's not about being lost. You're only five. What if something

school just for them or send them back to Vivienne and resign from his role as

slumping back, "So, you're just tired of dealing with us. You