The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Zelda nearly dropped her whisk when Leopold ccrashing down onto the cobblestone path with a thud.

“Blimey, Leopold, that’s flagstone, you absolute brute!” She exclaimed, still half-focused on perfecting her cake recipe.

Jasper could not help but chuckle at the scene. “Alright, alright, enough with the dramatics. Get up,” he said with a grin.

Leopold rose, shaking his head with a laugh and holding a gift box. “Well, Sir, these are sof your favorite things. | wasn’t sure what you'd like, so | just grabbed a bit of everything.” Jasper’s smile widened. “You're quite the character, kid. No wonder that Martinez girl fancies you so much.

Speaking of which, aren't you going to cout?” Hearing this, Leopold froze, his feet suddenly as heavy as lead.

His heart stopped for a moment as if encased in ice.

Vivienne and Percival exchanged glances that did not need words; it was clear Leopold was in the dark.

Percival just shrugged. If he knew, would he have even shown up? Thomas muttered under his breath, “Percival’s as ruthless as ever.” Zelda, putting aside her baking tools, dragged Griffin out from the shadows. “No use hiding now, love. It’s not like you're being dragged to the altar.” Griffin Martinez stood at the threshold, her eyes cast down, her feet rooted to the spot.

Both of them were wracked with unspeakable thoughts and mutual guilt.

Vivienne nudged Leopold forward with a swift kick. “Snap out of it, will ya?” Leopold stumbled into Griffin's space, and she looked BL eyes rimmed with unshed tears, at a loss for words.

Zelda snickered and finally remembered to turn off the oven while she, along with Natalia and Yasmine, quietly exited the kitchen.

Percival and Vivienne ushered Jasper to the back garden, leaving the two frozen figures alone in their awkward silence.

A chill breeze caused Griffin to shiver slightly.

Leopold wordlessly took off his jacket and draped it over Griffin's shoulders, breaking the silence. “When did you get back?” “Yesterday,” Griffin mumbled, “Dad said you were alright, so he letcome.” Before she could say more, she wrapped her arms around Leopold, her sobs muffled against his chest.

Leopold, taken aback, was not sure how to react.

After a while, Griffin pulled back slightly, sniffling. “Couldn’t you try to comfortjust a bit?” Leopold had never seen Griffin cry. In his impression, Griffin had always been the woman who was either forcing him to marry her, chasing after him on a motorbike, or swinging his custom-made whip at those thugs.

Panicking a little, he blinked in surprise. “You cry?” Griffin took a deep breath and kicked him in the shin, annoyed. All the tears she had shed for him when he was captured, and he was clueless! “Ouch!” Leopold yelped, rubbing his leg.

Her anger melted away as she saw Leopold's comical attempt to stand on one leg, and she could not help but laugh.

Leopold looked up to see her smile through the tears.

At that moment, he vowed never to make her cry again.

Standing tall, he took her hand in his. “Smile more, it suits you.” Griffin's heart skipped a beat as she held his gaze, her hand burning in his.

She had never doubted Leopold's innocence, and she was glad her unwavering trust in him was not misplaced.

She embraced him again, burying her face in the curve of his neck. “I'm just so relieved you're okay, Leopold.” Leopold raised his hands, hesitating before wrapping them around her.

Griffin took his hands and pulled them around her waist, holding him close.

From their hiding spot, Vivienne rolled her eyes. “Hopeless,” she muttered.

Natalia sighed. “Yeah, he seems pretty hopeless. Our dad’s way better at this. He always hugs Mom first.

Yasmine echoed, “Yeah. Especially at bedtime, he never lets us sleep in the middle...” Zelda quickly covered their mouths before they could reveal any more family secrets.

Jasper and Vivienne shared a laugh at the young couple’s expense.

“Vivienne, let's go for a stroll, shall we? | could use sfresh air,” Jasper said as he stood up from his wheelchair, Vivienne immediately at his side.

Diana also reached out to help but was a step too late.

With a tight grip on her own hands, Diana watched Vivienne walk away with Jasper, her frustration simmering.

Why was Vivienne always in the way? Before Vivienne was here, she had always been the one to accompany Jasper on strolls! At this moment, Diana was even more certain that Vivienne would be her biggest obstacle in the Perez family.

Zelda scooped up the children. “Con, Percival, let's join them. The others will be back soon.” Percival nodded in agreement. Jasper must have wanted to talk to Vivienne privately, and he would not intrude on that.Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates...

Natalie and Jasmine clung to Percival, who did not seem to mind the attention.

After all, what girl did not have a thing for a handsguy? With a resigned chuckle, Zelda followed them out, shaking her head.

Through it all, no one had bothered to talk to Diana.

Her fingers dug into her palms with suppressed anger.

“Vivienne, | swear | won't let you get your way!” Meanwhile, Vivienne strolled with Jasper amid the fragrant blooms in the estate’s backyard.

“Vivienne, | heard from Maddox that you went to see Flynn Ellington the other day,” Jasper asked.

Vivienne nodded. “Yes, | heard he’s F-Poison’s apprentice. | had a lot of questions for him.” Jasper chuckled. “Flynn is an odd one, not quite cut from the scloth as the Ellingtons. Sure, not everyone in the Ellington family is as upright as Percival, but Flynn's malice is quite extraordinary.” Vivienne looked puzzled. “Grandpa, what exactly has Flynn done?” Jasper’s face turned serious. “The human trafficking rings, the illegal organ trade, and the scandal with the ‘Keco’ drug tied to the Ashford family—all these have threads leading back to CK. Remember the eldest Brooks daughter, Paula? Her missing child?” Vivienne racked her brain before the memory clicked, “Yes, | remember. Was the child ever found?”