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.

snapped his fingers. "Exactly, Willa! I knew we were on the same

gave him a glance, her expression

is Vivienne's father. It's not up to us," Luke interjected. "Remember, he's a decorated war hero. If the authorities

acknowledge him, they'll lock us

at

Shrugging, Maddox fell silent.

they'll surely try to persuade Vivienne. Do you want

admitted, "That

cousins to Vivienne, asked, "What do you

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

said, "I've already said I

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

was puzzled.

she's blindly

heard her mother speak of her deep feelings for Arthur, though she'd

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

family exchanged looks of

we

warning enough. "Try

"No, no, I never said

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

long acquainted,

She was not

no interest to her, yet her involvement

heart beneath her tough exterior. Deep down, she knew Arthur

not forgetting her and Karen, were

conversation turned to

that many issues were being

to Jasper's observation, simply stated,

further. "Alright, let's leave