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.

"Exactly, Willa! I knew we were on the same page. They were all for it, but I

a

he's a decorated war hero. If the authorities find out he has a daughter

they'll lock

glared at

Shrugging, Maddox fell silent.

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

"That would

cousins to Vivienne, asked, "What do you

in court hearings and dealings with the Grimshaw family, and had dozed off amidst the family's

immediately said, "I've

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

was puzzled. After being

"Because she's blindly in

had often heard her mother speak of her deep feelings for Arthur, though she'd

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

family exchanged looks of

his surprise, asked, "So what now? Do we actually have to accept

warning enough. "Try it

no, I never said we'd accept

was reached. Finally, Jasper looked meaningfully at Vivienne. "You

long acquainted,

well. She was not

no interest to her, yet her involvement in this discussion spoke

tough exterior. Deep down, she knew Arthur wasn't the villain

forgetting her and

conversation turned

issues were being handled by Vivienne and Percival, and

a direct response to Jasper's observation, simply

further. "Alright, let's leave