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.

I knew we were on the same page. They were all for it, but I said no. We're truly

him a

a debate. "Arthur is Vivienne's father. It's not up to us," Luke interjected. "Remember, he's a decorated war hero. If the authorities find out he has a daughter he hasn't acknowledged,

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

glared at

Shrugging, Maddox fell silent.

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

admitted, "That would

looking past her cousins to Vivienne, asked,

caught up in court hearings and dealings with

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

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

Maddox was puzzled. After

she's

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

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

Perez family exchanged looks of

surprise, asked, "So what now? Do we

glare was warning enough. "Try

backtracked. "No, no, I

consensus was reached. Finally, Jasper looked meaningfully at Vivienne. "You actually want

long

She was not one to indulge

interest to her, yet her

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

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

conversation turned

might be time for a change now that many issues were being handled by Vivienne and Percival, and with Sasha's

Jasper's observation, simply stated,

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