The Million-Dollar Heart

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.

saw Leopold grinning from ear

"Did you and Griffin Martinez elope or

how tightly the Martinez family guards Griffin. If I dared to elope, they'd

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

be the godfather of your two kids. Let's see who

Vivienne was speechless.

being dragged into

the prison,

stoic expression, she calmly stated, "Stop waiting, Abigail is

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

said nothing but threw a

saw it, a tumult of emotions

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

a whole was debatable. How

Anna involved, her end would

he muttered, "She never made it to the

narrowed, "What final step?

hand on Declan, guessing there was some deal

this deal wouldn't surface

don't know," Declan's voice

"She spared your life, there must be something you promised her. How could

let anyone else complete her grand vision. Anything she couldn't take with her, she'd

not, but if this person was chosen by her, or related to her, it's

looked down, "You're barking up the wrong tree. I was just a means to an end for her. Now that Abigail is dead, do with me as

unmoved, "You've gone to great lengths for her, yet she regarded you as expendable. Yet, here you are, alive. Do

Declan could scheme. He must harbor some of

the person, and

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