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.

gave him a glance,

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

acknowledge him, they'll

glared at

Shrugging, Maddox fell silent.

imprison us over this, but they'll surely try to persuade

"That would

Vivienne, asked, "What do you think,

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

Willa, she immediately said, "I've already said I won't acknowledge

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

Maddox was puzzled. After being

sighed, "Because she's blindly in

often heard her mother speak of her deep

Perfect as a partner, perhaps, but not as a father

family exchanged looks of

Do we actually have to accept

enough. "Try it

"No, no, I

discussion, no consensus was reached. Finally, Jasper looked meaningfully at Vivienne.

long

well. She was

yet

exterior. Deep down, she knew Arthur wasn't

battlefield, not forgetting her and Karen,

turned

change now that many issues were being handled by Vivienne and

response to Jasper's observation,

"Alright, let's leave the decision to Vivienne. For now, let's