The Million-Dollar Heart

Maddox's eyes lit up the moment he saw Willa returning home.

He hurried over to her, barely containing his excitement. "Willa, you're back?"

He was so close that his warm breath tickled her face, stirring something unfamiliar within her.

She coughed lightly, pushing him away with a finger. "Back off! You reek of sweat!"

"Huh?" Maddox sniffed himself. "Do I? But I just showered this morning!"

The summer heat made sweating inevitable, prompting him to adopt a twice-daily shower routine.

Willa, uninterested in engaging further, walked straight to Jasper. "Dad, I'm home."

Jasper nodded. "Good to have you back. Sit down. We were just discussing whether Vivienne should acknowledge her father. You should weigh in!"

Willa had barely approached her chair when she paused, confused. "Vivienne's father?"

"Yes," Yuri chimed in. "Today, Vivienne's biological father showed up. DNA tests confirm it's Arthur. He's planning to marry Sasha and wants to officially recognize Vivienne."

As soon as Yuri finished, Willa's expression darkened. "No way!"

Vivienne sent Willa a smile of admiration.

Jasper and the others were taken aback but soon Jasper said, "We were leaning towards refusal too, but after thinking it over, he is Vivienne's father, after all. It seems wrong not to acknowledge him."

Willa scoffed. "Some father! Where was he all this time? Now he decides to show up like he's picking out a bargain at a flea market!"

Willa was known for her aloofness, rarely swearing.

Her outburst left the Perez family speechless for a moment.

on the same

a glance,

Luke interjected. "Remember, he's a decorated war hero. If the authorities find out he has a

don't acknowledge him, they'll lock us

at him. "Be

Shrugging, Maddox fell silent.

this, but they'll surely try to persuade Vivienne. Do you want them pestering

"That would

looking past her cousins to Vivienne,

in court hearings and dealings with the

by Willa, she immediately said, "I've already said

at Maddox, she added, "Uncle, you're wrong about one thing. If my mom wakes up, she'd

would she?" Maddox was puzzled. After

sighed, "Because she's

her deep feelings for Arthur, though she'd never understood the

it made sense. Perfect as a partner, perhaps, but not as a father

family exchanged looks

Do we

enough. "Try it

I never

looked meaningfully

long acquainted,

his granddaughter well. She was not one to indulge

to her, yet her

her tough exterior. Deep down, she knew

years on the battlefield, not forgetting her and Karen, were testament enough to

turned

a change now that many issues were being handled by Vivienne and Percival, and with Sasha's condition

avoiding a direct response to Jasper's

further. "Alright, let's leave the decision