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.

promises from Leopold,

couldn't just

Sterling, you're their guardian. It's your responsibility to educate them, not just lip

this continues, I can't keep them here. What kind of kids manage to blow a hole in

what Vivienne meant by

left holding the bag with

had pegged him as the go-to uncle,

was he to

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

for two days while

bitterness, "Don't worry,

out to the window, "Juliette, Isaiah, get in here

speed to a steady 30 mph for the sake of

Leo, why are we

left alone

planning to get rid of us, are

peaked, "Get

After

who'd take you?

your playgrounds. If I brought

Vivienne about this, see if you dare do

Leo, do you not want us anymore?" "Stop playing

vented, "Count

starting preschool, how many

Six! And last month, if I hadn't intervened, you'd have led a

alone

made all the fancy kindergartens in Rivenwood wary

was left with no choice but to turn

"They wanted to see the ocean, so we went. It's not like

not about being lost.

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