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.

the same page. They were all for it, but I said no. We're truly

gave him a glance,

he's a decorated war hero. If the authorities find out he

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

at

Shrugging, Maddox fell silent.

us over this, but they'll surely try to persuade

"That would be

looking past her cousins to Vivienne,

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

immediately said, "I've already said I won't

"Uncle, you're wrong about one

was puzzled. After

she's

her deep feelings for Arthur, though she'd never understood the

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

Perez family exchanged looks of

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

glare was warning enough. "Try it

quickly backtracked. "No, no, I never

looked meaningfully at Vivienne. "You

long acquainted,

his granddaughter well. She was not

interest to her, yet her involvement in this

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

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

conversation turned to

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

avoiding a direct response to Jasper's observation, simply stated,

further. "Alright, let's leave the decision to