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.

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

gave him a glance, her expression

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

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

glared at him.

Shrugging, Maddox fell silent.

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

admitted, "That would be

past her cousins to Vivienne, asked, "What

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

she immediately said, "I've already

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

was

sighed, "Because she's blindly in

deep feelings for Arthur, though she'd never understood

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

Perez family exchanged looks

now? Do we actually have to accept this guy as

enough. "Try it and

"No, no, I never

Jasper looked meaningfully at Vivienne. "You actually want

long

was

no interest to her, yet her involvement in this

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

her and

turned to

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

avoiding a direct response to Jasper's observation, simply stated,

her evasion, Jasper didn't press further. "Alright, let's leave the decision to Vivienne.