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.

from Leopold, the

couldn't

responsibility to educate them, not just lip

keep them here. What kind of kids manage to blow a hole in

Vivienne meant by

holding the bag with these

had pegged him as the

was he

their coloring book,

taking care of the kids for two days while

worry, I'll

Isaiah, get in here and apologize

kept the speed to a steady 30

scenery, asked, "Uncle Leo, why are we taking a different route? This isn't the way

be left alone with

persisted, "You're not planning to get rid of us, are

frustration peaked,

After the stunts

take you?

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

this, see

Juliette and Isaiah exchanged looks, their eyes welling up, "Uncle Leo, do you not want us anymore?" "Stop playing the victim. If anyone's

"Count them.

starting preschool, how many

And last month, if I hadn't intervened, you'd have led a whole kinder-garden on a wild goose

alone

all the fancy kindergartens in Rivenwood wary of

was left with no choice but to turn to public schools that were unaware of their

see the

end, "It's not about being lost. You're only

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

"So, you're just tired of dealing with us. You think we're nothing but