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.

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

him a glance,

he's a decorated war hero.

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

at

Shrugging, Maddox fell silent.

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

"That would be

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

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

she immediately said, "I've already said I

added, "Uncle, you're wrong about one thing. If

was puzzled. After being

"Because she's blindly

mother speak of her deep feelings for Arthur, though

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

family exchanged looks of

"So what now? Do we actually

was warning enough. "Try

quickly backtracked. "No, no, I never said

Finally, Jasper looked meaningfully at Vivienne. "You actually

not long acquainted,

well. She was not one to

interest to her, yet her involvement in

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

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

turned to

it might be time for a change now that many issues were being handled by

direct response to Jasper's observation, simply stated, "Grandpa, I'm

let's leave the decision