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.

were on the same page. They were all for it,

a

debate. "Arthur is Vivienne's father. It's not up to us," Luke interjected. "Remember, he's a

if we don't acknowledge him, they'll lock us

at him. "Be

Shrugging, Maddox fell silent.

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

"That

her cousins to Vivienne, asked, "What

hearings and dealings with the Grimshaw

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

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

Maddox was puzzled. After

"Because she's blindly in

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

Perfect as a partner, perhaps, but not as a father

family exchanged looks

snapping out of his surprise, asked, "So what now? Do we actually have to accept this guy as part

warning enough. "Try it and

backtracked. "No, no, I never said

consensus was reached. Finally, Jasper looked meaningfully at

long

was not one

yet her involvement in

down, she

years on the battlefield, not forgetting her and

conversation turned to

be time for a change now that many issues were being handled by Vivienne and Percival, and with Sasha's condition

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

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