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.

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

a glance,

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

they'll lock us up?" Maddox rolled

at him.

Shrugging, Maddox fell silent.

authorities won't imprison us over this, but they'll surely try

admitted, "That would

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

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

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

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

Maddox was puzzled. After

"Because she's

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

partner,

exchanged

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

warning enough. "Try

backtracked. "No, no, I never

Finally, Jasper looked meaningfully at Vivienne. "You actually want

long acquainted,

was

to her, yet her involvement in this discussion

betrayed a soft heart beneath her tough exterior. Deep down, she knew Arthur wasn't

the battlefield, not forgetting her and Karen, were testament enough to his

turned

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

avoiding a direct response to Jasper's observation, simply

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