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.

his fingers. "Exactly, Willa! I knew we were on the same page. They were all for it, but I said no. We're

gave him a glance,

us," Luke interjected. "Remember, he's a decorated war hero. If the authorities find out he has a daughter he hasn't acknowledged, they

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

glared at him. "Be

Shrugging, Maddox fell silent.

but they'll surely try to persuade Vivienne. Do you want

admitted, "That

looking past her cousins to Vivienne, asked, "What do

in court hearings and dealings with the Grimshaw family, and

she immediately said, "I've already said

added, "Uncle, you're wrong about one

she?" Maddox was puzzled. After being

sighed, "Because she's blindly in

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

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

exchanged

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

was warning enough. "Try it

I never said

was reached. Finally, Jasper looked meaningfully at Vivienne. "You actually want to acknowledge

not long

well. She was not

to her, yet her

beneath her tough exterior. Deep down, she knew Arthur

years on the battlefield, not forgetting her and Karen, were testament enough

turned

that many issues

Jasper's observation, simply stated, "Grandpa, I'm

let's leave the