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.

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

gave him a glance, her

a decorated war hero. If the authorities find out he has a daughter he

if we don't acknowledge him, they'll lock us up?" Maddox rolled

at him. "Be

Shrugging, Maddox fell silent.

try to persuade

admitted, "That

Vivienne, asked, "What do you think,

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

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

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

Maddox was

she's blindly

heard her mother speak of her deep feelings

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

family exchanged

now? Do we actually have to

glare was warning enough.

"No, no, I never said

Jasper looked meaningfully at Vivienne. "You actually want to acknowledge

long

his granddaughter well. She was

to her, yet her involvement in this

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

battlefield, not forgetting her and Karen, were testament enough to

turned to

change now that many issues were

a direct response to Jasper's observation, simply

let's leave