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.

persuasion and promises from Leopold, the headteacher finally calmed

this couldn't just

Sterling, you're their guardian. It's your responsibility

this continues, I can't keep them here. What kind of kids manage

understood what Vivienne meant

was left holding the

in Rivenwood had pegged him as the go-to uncle, avoiding

was he to

into their coloring book, his fellow disciples

of the kids for two days while Leopold was sick, vowed never to

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

"Juliette, Isaiah,

but kept the speed to a steady 30 mph for the sake of the two

why are we taking a different route?

left alone with

to get

frustration peaked, "Get

you? After the

take

If I brought you home, there'd be nothing

then threatened, "I'm telling Vivienne about this, see if you dare do

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

vented, "Count them.

starting preschool, how many

you been through? Six! And last month, if I hadn't intervened, you'd have led a whole kinder-garden on a wild goose chase. The principal called me

thought alone

all the fancy kindergartens

to turn to public schools that were

innocent face looked up, "They wanted to see the ocean, so we went. It's not

at his wit's end, "It's not about being

just for them or send them back