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.

Willa! I knew we were on the same page. They were all for

gave him a

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

we don't acknowledge him, they'll lock

glared at him.

Shrugging, Maddox fell silent.

imprison us over this, but they'll surely try to persuade Vivienne. Do you want

"That would

her cousins to Vivienne, asked, "What

and dealings with the Grimshaw family,

Willa, she immediately said, "I've already said I

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

would she?" Maddox was puzzled. After being

"Because she's

heard her mother speak of her deep feelings

knowing Arthur, it made sense. Perfect as a partner,

exchanged

what now? Do we actually have

glare was warning enough. "Try it and

no, I never said we'd accept

discussion, no consensus was reached. Finally, Jasper looked meaningfully at Vivienne. "You actually want to

not long

was not one

of no interest to her, yet her involvement in this discussion spoke

soft heart beneath her tough exterior. Deep down, she knew Arthur wasn't the villain she portrayed

battlefield, not forgetting her and Karen, were testament enough

turned

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

Jasper's observation, simply

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