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 page. They were

a glance, her expression

a debate. "Arthur is Vivienne's father. It's not up to us," Luke interjected. "Remember, he's a decorated war hero. If the authorities

we don't acknowledge him, they'll lock us up?" Maddox

at

Shrugging, Maddox fell silent.

continued, "The authorities won't imprison us over this, but they'll surely try to

admitted, "That

looking past her cousins to Vivienne, asked,

court hearings and dealings with the Grimshaw family,

Willa, she immediately said, "I've already said I won't acknowledge

wrong about one thing. If my mom wakes up, she'd definitely

would she?" Maddox was puzzled. After

sighed, "Because she's

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

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

family exchanged

"So what now? Do we actually have to accept this guy as part of the

warning enough. "Try it

I never

Finally, Jasper looked meaningfully at Vivienne. "You

long

granddaughter well. She was not one to

yet her involvement in this discussion spoke

actions betrayed a soft heart beneath her tough exterior. Deep down, she knew Arthur wasn't the villain she portrayed

her and Karen, were testament enough

conversation turned

might be time for a change now that many issues were being

Jasper's observation, simply stated, "Grandpa,

didn't press further. "Alright, let's leave the decision to