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.

a glance, her

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, they won't just let

we don't acknowledge him, they'll lock

glared at

Shrugging, Maddox fell silent.

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

admitted, "That

cousins to Vivienne, asked, "What do

up early, caught up in court hearings and dealings with the Grimshaw family, and had dozed off amidst

"I've already

one thing. If

was puzzled. After

she's blindly in

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

as a partner, perhaps,

exchanged looks

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

enough. "Try it and

backtracked. "No, no, I

looked meaningfully at Vivienne. "You actually

not long

well. She was not one to

of no interest to her, yet her involvement in this discussion spoke

betrayed a soft heart beneath her tough exterior. Deep down, she knew Arthur

her and Karen,

conversation turned to

now that many issues were being handled by Vivienne and Percival, and with Sasha's condition

Jasper's observation, simply stated, "Grandpa,

further. "Alright, let's leave the decision to Vivienne. For