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 were

a glance, her

It's not up to us," Luke interjected. "Remember, he's a decorated war hero. If the authorities find out he has a

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

glared at

Shrugging, Maddox fell silent.

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

admitted, "That would

cousins to Vivienne, asked, "What

up in court hearings and dealings with the Grimshaw family, and had dozed

by Willa, she immediately said, "I've

about one thing. If my mom

she?" Maddox was puzzled. After being

she's blindly

speak of her deep

partner, perhaps, but not as a father

exchanged looks of

now? Do we actually have to accept this guy as part of

warning enough. "Try

I never said we'd

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

not long acquainted,

his granddaughter well. She was not

interest to her, yet her

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

on the battlefield, not forgetting her and Karen, were

conversation turned to

a change now that many issues were being

Jasper's observation,

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