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.

I knew we were on the same page. They were all for

a glance,

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

they'll lock us up?" Maddox

glared at him. "Be

Shrugging, Maddox fell silent.

"The authorities won't imprison us over this, but they'll surely try to persuade Vivienne. Do you want

admitted, "That would

Vivienne, asked, "What do

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

immediately said, "I've already said I

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

was

sighed, "Because she's blindly

of her deep feelings for Arthur,

as a partner, perhaps, but

family exchanged looks

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

warning enough. "Try it and

backtracked. "No, no, I never

consensus was reached. Finally, Jasper looked meaningfully at Vivienne. "You actually want to acknowledge him, don't

not long acquainted,

She was not

of no interest to her, yet her

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

her and Karen, were testament

turned

be time for a change now that many issues were

Jasper's observation, simply

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