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.

same page.

gave him a glance,

"Remember, he's a decorated war hero. If the authorities find out he has a daughter he hasn't

so if we don't acknowledge him, they'll lock us up?" Maddox rolled his

at

Shrugging, Maddox fell silent.

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

"That would

to Vivienne, asked, "What do you think,

hearings and dealings with the Grimshaw family, and had

said, "I've already said I won't acknowledge

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

she?" Maddox was

"Because she's

her mother speak of her deep feelings for Arthur, though she'd never understood

made sense. Perfect as a partner,

Perez family exchanged looks

Do we actually have to accept this guy as part of

was warning enough. "Try

I never said

discussion, no consensus was reached. Finally, Jasper looked meaningfully at Vivienne. "You actually want to

not long acquainted,

She was not one to indulge

her, yet her involvement in this discussion

Deep down, she knew Arthur wasn't the

forgetting her and

turned to

issues were being

avoiding a direct response to Jasper's observation, simply stated, "Grandpa, I'm

"Alright, let's leave the decision to Vivienne. For

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