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 I said no. We're

him a glance, her expression

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

they'll lock us up?" Maddox rolled his

glared at him. "Be

Shrugging, Maddox fell silent.

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

admitted, "That would

her cousins to Vivienne, asked, "What

court hearings and dealings with the Grimshaw family, and

she immediately said, "I've already

wrong about one thing. If my mom wakes up,

Maddox was puzzled.

she's blindly

had often heard her mother speak of her deep

Perfect as a partner, perhaps, but not as

exchanged

surprise, asked, "So what now? Do we actually

enough.

no, I

looked meaningfully at Vivienne. "You actually want to acknowledge

not long acquainted,

his granddaughter well. She was

to her, yet her

her tough exterior. Deep down,

her and

conversation turned

hinting it might be time for a change now that many issues

response to Jasper's

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