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.

"Exactly, Willa! I knew we were on the same page. They were all for it,

a

over Vivienne sparked 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

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

glared at

Shrugging, Maddox fell silent.

us over this, but they'll surely try to

admitted, "That would

cousins to Vivienne, asked, "What do you think,

caught up in court hearings and dealings with the

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

wrong about one thing. If my mom wakes

would she?" Maddox was puzzled.

"Because she's

mother speak of her deep feelings for Arthur, though

it made sense. Perfect as a partner, perhaps, but not

exchanged looks of

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

glare was warning enough. "Try

backtracked. "No, no, I never said we'd accept

further discussion, no consensus was reached. Finally, Jasper looked meaningfully at Vivienne. "You actually want to acknowledge him,

long

She was not one to indulge

her, yet her

tough exterior. Deep down, she knew Arthur wasn't the villain she

not forgetting her and

turned to

change now that many issues were being handled by

Jasper's observation, simply

her evasion, Jasper didn't press further. "Alright, let's leave the decision to Vivienne. For now,