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.

fingers. "Exactly, Willa! I knew we were on the same page. They were all for it, but

a glance, her

paternal claim over Vivienne sparked a debate. "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 let it

acknowledge him, they'll lock us up?" Maddox

glared at him.

Shrugging, Maddox fell silent.

"The authorities won't imprison us over this, but they'll surely try to

admitted, "That would

to Vivienne, asked, "What do

hearings and dealings with the Grimshaw family,

"I've

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

she?" Maddox was puzzled.

sighed, "Because she's blindly

often heard her mother speak of her deep feelings for Arthur, though

as a partner, perhaps, but not as a

family exchanged looks of

asked, "So what now? Do we

glare was warning enough. "Try it

quickly backtracked. "No, no, I never said we'd

reached. Finally, Jasper looked meaningfully at

not long

was not

interest to her, yet her involvement in

down, she knew Arthur wasn't

years on the battlefield, not forgetting her and Karen, were testament enough to

conversation turned to

issues were being

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

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