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

him a

"Remember, he's a decorated war hero. If the authorities find out he has a daughter he hasn't acknowledged, they won't just let

him, they'll lock

at him.

Shrugging, Maddox fell silent.

us over this, but they'll surely try to persuade Vivienne. Do you want them pestering us day in, day

"That would

looking past her cousins to Vivienne, asked, "What

hearings and dealings with the Grimshaw

said, "I've already said

"Uncle, you're wrong about one

Maddox was puzzled. After

"Because she's blindly in

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

sense. Perfect as a partner, perhaps,

family exchanged

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

glare was warning enough. "Try it and

"No, no, I never

Jasper looked meaningfully at Vivienne. "You actually want

long acquainted,

was not

to her, yet her

exterior. Deep down, she knew Arthur wasn't

battlefield, not forgetting her and Karen, were

turned to

change now that many issues were being handled by Vivienne

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

press further. "Alright, let's leave the decision to Vivienne. For now,