The Million-Dollar Heart

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.

much persuasion and promises from

couldn't

your responsibility to

of kids manage to blow a hole

Vivienne meant by

left holding the bag

in Rivenwood had pegged him as the

was he to complain

they accidentally set fire to their master's residence and then turned a library into their coloring book, his fellow disciples had been overly welcoming, suggesting he keep the kids at an arm's length and perhaps

of the kids for two days while Leopold was sick, vowed never to bring up the topic of children

worry, I'll

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

but kept the speed to a steady 30 mph for

the change in scenery, asked, "Uncle Leo, why are we taking

left alone with his

not planning to get rid of us, are

frustration peaked,

you? After the

who'd take you?

schools into your playgrounds. If I brought you home,

this, see

looks, their eyes welling up, "Uncle Leo, do you not want us anymore?" "Stop playing the

"Count them.

starting preschool, how many

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

thought alone

made all the fancy kindergartens in

no choice but to turn to public schools that

up, "They wanted to see the ocean, so we

not about being lost.

two options: fund a private school just for them or send them back to Vivienne and resign from