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.

knew we were on the same page. They were all for it, but I said

a glance, her

a decorated war hero. If the authorities find out he has a daughter he hasn't acknowledged, they won't

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

at him. "Be

Shrugging, Maddox fell silent.

over this, but they'll surely try to persuade Vivienne. Do you want them pestering us

"That would

past her cousins to Vivienne, asked, "What do

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

she immediately said, "I've already

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

she?" Maddox was puzzled. After

sighed, "Because she's blindly in

her mother speak of her deep feelings for Arthur,

sense. Perfect as a partner,

exchanged

Do we actually have to accept this

enough. "Try

"No, no, I never

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

long

granddaughter well. She was not

interest to her, yet

beneath her tough exterior. Deep down, she knew Arthur wasn't the villain she portrayed him

years on the battlefield, not forgetting her and

turned

issues were being handled by Vivienne and Percival, and

response to Jasper's observation, simply

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