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.

knew we were on the same page. They were all for it, but I said

a glance,

"Arthur is Vivienne's father. It's not up to us," Luke interjected. "Remember, he's a decorated war hero. If the authorities find out he has a daughter he hasn't acknowledged, they won't just

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

glared at him. "Be

Shrugging, Maddox fell silent.

try

admitted, "That would be

past her cousins to Vivienne, asked, "What do

dealings with the Grimshaw

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

one thing. If my

would she?" Maddox was puzzled. After being

"Because she's

her deep feelings for Arthur, though she'd never

a partner, perhaps,

family exchanged looks

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

glare was warning enough.

backtracked. "No, no, I never said

was reached. Finally, Jasper looked meaningfully

not long

granddaughter well. She was

of no interest to her, yet her involvement

exterior. Deep down,

not forgetting her and Karen, were testament enough to his

turned to

issues

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

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