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.

gave him a glance, her expression

Luke interjected. "Remember, he's a decorated war

if we don't acknowledge him, they'll lock us

at him.

Shrugging, Maddox fell silent.

try to persuade Vivienne. Do you want them pestering

"That

looking past her cousins to Vivienne, asked, "What do you think,

hearings and dealings with the Grimshaw family, and had dozed off

said, "I've already said I

added, "Uncle, you're wrong about one thing. If my

was puzzled. After

"Because she's blindly

speak of her deep feelings

made sense. Perfect as a partner, perhaps, but not

Perez family exchanged

of his surprise, asked, "So what now? Do we actually have to accept this

enough. "Try it and

I never said

Jasper looked meaningfully at Vivienne.

not long acquainted,

She was not one to

interest to her, yet her involvement in this

actions betrayed a soft heart beneath her tough exterior. Deep down,

forgetting her and Karen, were testament enough

conversation turned

might 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