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

a glance, her

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

acknowledge him, they'll lock us up?" Maddox rolled his

glared at him.

Shrugging, Maddox fell silent.

surely try to persuade Vivienne. Do you want them pestering us day in, day

admitted, "That

cousins to Vivienne,

and dealings with the

said, "I've already said

about one thing. If my mom wakes up,

Maddox was puzzled. After being

sighed, "Because she's blindly in

heard her mother speak of her deep feelings for Arthur, though she'd never understood the

as a partner,

exchanged

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

warning enough. "Try it

backtracked. "No, no, I never

meaningfully at Vivienne. "You actually want to

long acquainted,

his granddaughter well. She was not one to indulge

interest to her, yet her

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

not forgetting her and Karen, were testament

conversation turned

many issues were being

to Jasper's observation, simply

further. "Alright, let's leave