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.

from Leopold, the headteacher finally calmed

couldn't

responsibility to educate them, not just

here. What kind of kids manage to blow a hole in the school?!"

understood what Vivienne meant

left holding the bag with these

had pegged him as the go-to uncle, avoiding involving Vivienne

was he to

he took the kids to Emerald Mountain, where they accidentally set fire to their master's residence and then turned a library into their coloring

kids for two

worry, I'll talk to

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

was simmering with anger but kept the speed to a steady

are we taking a different route? This

to be left alone with

planning to get rid of us, are

frustration peaked,

After

take

I brought you

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

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

"Count

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

thought alone

made all the fancy

but to turn to

face looked up, "They wanted to see the ocean, so we went.

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

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