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.

"Exactly, Willa! I knew we were on the same page. They

a glance, her

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

so if we don't acknowledge him, they'll

at him.

Shrugging, Maddox fell silent.

this, but they'll surely try to

admitted, "That would be

to Vivienne, asked, "What do you think,

caught up in court hearings and dealings with the Grimshaw family, and had dozed off amidst the family's

immediately said, "I've already said

looking at Maddox, she added, "Uncle, you're wrong about one thing. If my mom wakes up, she'd definitely

would she?" Maddox was puzzled. After being

"Because she's

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

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

exchanged looks

his surprise, asked, "So what now? Do we actually have to

warning enough. "Try it and

quickly backtracked. "No, no, I never

Finally, Jasper looked meaningfully at Vivienne. "You actually want to acknowledge

long

She was not one to

her, yet her

down, she knew Arthur

forgetting her and Karen, were testament enough to his

conversation turned to

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

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

let's leave the