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.

fingers. "Exactly, Willa! I knew we were on the same

him a glance, her

he's a decorated war hero. If the authorities

if we don't acknowledge him, they'll lock

glared at him.

Shrugging, Maddox fell silent.

continued, "The authorities won't imprison us over this, but they'll surely try to persuade Vivienne. Do you

"That would be

looking past her cousins to Vivienne, asked, "What

had been up early, caught up in court hearings and dealings with the Grimshaw family, and had dozed off

immediately said, "I've

one thing. If

was puzzled. After being

sighed, "Because she's blindly in

deep

as a partner, perhaps, but not as

exchanged looks of

Do we actually have to accept this guy as part of the

glare was warning enough.

quickly backtracked. "No, no, I

further discussion, no consensus was reached. Finally, Jasper looked meaningfully at Vivienne. "You

long acquainted,

his granddaughter well. She was not one

yet

tough exterior. Deep down,

forgetting her and Karen, were testament enough to his

turned

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

Jasper's observation,

her evasion, Jasper didn't press further. "Alright, let's leave