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.

the same page. They were

gave him a glance,

"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

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

at

Shrugging, Maddox fell silent.

won't imprison us over this, but they'll surely try to persuade Vivienne. Do you want them pestering us day in,

admitted, "That would

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

and dealings with the Grimshaw family, and had dozed

said, "I've already

one thing. If

would she?" Maddox was

sighed, "Because she's blindly in

her deep feelings for Arthur,

sense. Perfect as a partner, perhaps, but not as a father in her

family exchanged looks

asked, "So what now? Do we actually have to accept this guy as

was warning enough. "Try

"No, no, I never said we'd

Finally, Jasper looked meaningfully at Vivienne. "You

not long acquainted,

was not

yet her involvement in this discussion

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

battlefield, not forgetting her and Karen, were

conversation turned

hinting it might be time for a change now that many issues were being handled by Vivienne and

direct response to Jasper's observation, simply stated, "Grandpa,

her evasion, Jasper didn't press further. "Alright, let's