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.

we were on the same page. They were all for it,

gave him a glance, her expression

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

if we don't acknowledge him, they'll

glared at him.

Shrugging, Maddox fell silent.

surely try to persuade Vivienne. Do you want them pestering

"That would

to Vivienne, asked, "What

had been up early, caught up in court hearings and dealings with the Grimshaw family, and had

"I've already said I won't acknowledge

you're wrong about one thing. If my

Maddox was puzzled.

she's blindly in

often heard her mother speak of her deep feelings for Arthur, though she'd

made sense. Perfect as a partner, perhaps,

exchanged looks of

surprise, asked, "So what now? Do we actually have to accept

enough. "Try it and

quickly backtracked. "No, no, I never

meaningfully at Vivienne. "You actually want to

long acquainted,

granddaughter well. She was not

yet her involvement in this discussion spoke

tough exterior. Deep down, she knew

on the battlefield, not forgetting her and Karen,

turned

be time for a change now that many issues were being

to Jasper's observation,

press further. "Alright, let's leave