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 page. They were all for

him a glance, her expression

he's a decorated war hero. If the authorities find out he has a

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

at

Shrugging, Maddox fell silent.

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

admitted, "That

past her cousins to Vivienne,

and dealings with the Grimshaw family, and had dozed off amidst the family's

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

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

she?" Maddox was puzzled. After being

she's

deep feelings for Arthur,

partner, perhaps,

family exchanged looks of

snapping out of his surprise, asked, "So what now? Do we actually have to accept this guy as part

glare was warning enough.

no, I never said we'd

no consensus was reached. Finally, Jasper looked meaningfully

long

was not

no interest to her, yet her involvement in this

heart beneath her tough exterior. Deep down,

battlefield, not forgetting her and Karen, were testament

turned to

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

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

press further. "Alright, let's leave