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

a glance, her

debate. "Arthur is Vivienne's father. It's not up to us," Luke interjected. "Remember, he's a decorated war

him, they'll lock us up?"

at

Shrugging, Maddox fell silent.

continued, "The authorities won't imprison us over this, but they'll surely try to persuade Vivienne. Do you want them

"That

to Vivienne, asked, "What do you think,

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

said, "I've already said I won't

you're wrong about one thing. If my mom wakes

Maddox was puzzled.

she's blindly in

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

it made sense. Perfect as a partner, perhaps, but

exchanged looks of

we actually have to accept this guy as part

glare was warning enough. "Try

no, I never

Finally, Jasper looked meaningfully at Vivienne.

long acquainted,

was not one to

interest to her, yet her involvement

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

her and Karen, were

turned

time for a change now that many issues were being handled by Vivienne and Percival, and

avoiding a direct response to Jasper's observation,

further. "Alright, let's