The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

After the photo shoot, Vivienne was left speechless.

Out of the dozen people, she and her mentor, Dawson, stuck out like sore thumbs.

And of course, they had been placed right in the middle.

Like two overly festive "clowns" in a sea of subtlety.

The rest of the group, however, lit up at the sight of the photo, eagerly asking for copies.

Dawson, ever the eccentric, and Vivienne, not much for frivolities, made this gathering a first for their group, Emerald Mountain. This photo was, in a way, their "family portrait." Dawson glanced at the photo now set as his screensaver, nodding in approval, "Leopold, well done, lad. Much appreciated!" "I'll have to get this printed and hung by my bed. Leopold, you've outdone yourself this time." Leopold beamed with pride.

Seeing the leftover tear streaks on Leopold's face from the ceremony, Griffin's heart softened. She passed him a tissue under the table, "Here, wipe it off before the others start teasing." Finnian, overhearing, let out a hearty laugh, "Oh, con, we all know Leopold's strengths. Nothing we haven't seen before." Leopold's cheeks flushed, "Master, could you not bring up my past blunders today, especially not in front of Griffin!" Finnian laughed even harder, "Alright, alright." A student grows, and pride must be preserved.

But as a mentor, Finnian felt certain responsibilities, especially with Leopold being the first among them to get married. He had to share swisdom.

"Leopold's partner..." Griffin straightened up, ready to listen, "Yes, Master?" Finnian nodded in approval, "Don't hesitate to callif you need. Of all my students, Leopold is the most guileless-naive, to put it bluntly. If he ever gives you trouble, don't hold back. A good scolding or a visit from Vivienne andwill set him straight, ensuring he treats you with the respect you deserve." Vivienne nodded in agreement, solidifying her stance.

The other mentors joined in the intervention.

"You have our numbers in Leopold's phone. Any issues, just reach out. If Leopold dares to cross you, he'll have us to answer to," they declared.

"Indeed, a man from Emerald Mountain should be a gentleman at heart and a helper at home. If Leopold ever slacks off, just one call, and we'll sort him out without needing Master or Vivienne to step in." Leopold swallowed hard, silently thanking them for assigning him all household duties even before his wedding.

Griffin was witnessing this harmonious family dynamic for the first time, understanding why Leopold was the way he was.

Percival, going a step further while serving Vivienne sfood, casually mentioned, "Step out of line, and it's demotion." Leopold was speechless.

This was much harsher than expected.

It was just a wedding, not a mission to Fariana Isle.

The 360-degree warning made him wonder if they remembered he was the vulnerable one in this marriage.

Griffin, meanwhile, found a new use for the tissues, not for Leopold but herself.

Raising her glass to everyone at the table, she said, "Thank you, Master, Vivienne, and all my brothers-in-law. You might have heard of me; I'm straightforward. I genuinely love Leopold, and chasing him for twenty years proves it." "I'll treasure his virtues and work through his flaws together. I believe our future is bright." With that, she downed her glass of strong spirits in one gulp.

Leopold couldn't stop her in time, shocked at her boldness.

That was strong spirits, not something one should simply gulp down! The table, except for Vivienne and Percival, was stunned.

The envious glares turned toward Leopold.

A wife that pursued him for twenty years and was so understanding? Leopold must have struck gold! As the drinking continued, Leopold was soon too drunk to hold his glass.

Griffin let him be, knowing he was surrounded by loved ones, a happiness worth savoring.

The others, seeing Leopold's state, eased off, focusing on their own drinks and conversations.

Percival, ever attentive to Vivienne, sampled dishes, ensuring nothing upset her again.

Once Vivienne indicated she was full, Percival helped clean up, asking softly, "Feeling better?" Vivienne nodded, offering him sof her favorites, "Mr. Wolf, your turn." "Thank you," Percival replied, accepting the food directly from her hand, sharing a tender moment amidst the oblivious crowd.

As the party's focus, Leopold and Griffin were eventually called away, leaving Leopold regretting not finishing his sobering soup.

But with Griffin's support, he managed, a testament to the strong bonds formed within this unique family.

Finnian took a sip of his beer, a lightbulb going off in his head, "Oh, speaking of which, apprentice, I almost forgot something. Thosen et ov photos you senta couple days ago, swear I've seen them somewhere before." Content belongs to en.kikistoriesVivienne's eyes flickered slightly, "Where?" Even the experts at the cultural heritage office couldn't pinpoint exactly who had used those items.

They had only provided a timeline and the cultural context represented by the artifacts, a sweep of human history. But that wasn't what she was after.

Finnian set down his pint, his cheeks เวน flushed from the alcohol but his gaze sharp,. "In those obscure historical documents I told you about, there's a bracelet identical to the one in the photos you sent me, down to the very ssigns of wear and tear." Content belongs to en.kikistoriesVivienne's cool gaze narrowed, "So, what you're saying is, these items are connected to Abigail's true identity?" "Exactly. Those things are at least two centuries old. For her to have kept them in such pristine condition, this Abigail must either be a direct descendant of that family, or ske has a significant connection to them." Content belongs to en.kikistoriesin Two hundred years is a long time, fraught with upheavals.

Especially for a family that was completely wiped out, how could these precious items have survived all that twithout a scratch? It seemed almost impossible.

Vivienne then remembered something, "Master, why did you say last tthat you couldn't get a read on Abigail?" Finnian exhaled slowly, nodding, "I really can't get a bead on her. It's like her bone structure isn't what it originally was. Over a century, it's not just the face and body that change, the bones do too." Vivienne's eyes narrowed further, "So, what you're saying is, Abigail could be much older than we initially thought."