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.

were on the same page. They

a glance, her expression

a decorated war hero. If the authorities find out he has a daughter

don't acknowledge him, they'll lock us up?"

glared at him.

Shrugging, Maddox fell silent.

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

admitted, "That would

past her cousins to Vivienne, asked,

court hearings and dealings with the Grimshaw

Willa, she immediately said, "I've already

looking at Maddox, she added, "Uncle, you're wrong about one thing.

was puzzled. After being

she's blindly in

of her deep

made sense. Perfect as a partner,

Perez family exchanged looks of

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

warning enough. "Try

quickly backtracked. "No, no, I

reached. Finally, Jasper looked meaningfully

not long

was not one to indulge

to her, yet her

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

battlefield, not forgetting her and Karen,

conversation turned to

issues were being handled by Vivienne and Percival, and with

avoiding a direct response to Jasper's observation, simply

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