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.

same page. They were all for it, but I said

him a glance, her expression

Luke interjected. "Remember, he's a decorated war hero. If the authorities find out he has a daughter he

him, they'll lock us up?" Maddox

glared at him. "Be

Shrugging, Maddox fell silent.

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

"That would be

looking past her cousins to Vivienne, asked,

hearings and dealings with the Grimshaw family, and had

she immediately said, "I've already said

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

Maddox was puzzled. After being

"Because she's

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

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

family exchanged

snapping out of his surprise, asked, "So what now? Do we

was warning enough. "Try it

no, I

reached. Finally, Jasper looked meaningfully at Vivienne. "You actually want to acknowledge him, don't

long

granddaughter well. She was not one to

her, yet

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

battlefield, not forgetting her and Karen, were testament enough to his

conversation turned to

a change now that many issues were being handled by Vivienne and Percival,

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

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