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

him a glance,

is Vivienne's father. It's not up to us," Luke interjected. "Remember, he's a decorated war hero. If the authorities

acknowledge him, they'll lock

glared at him.

Shrugging, Maddox fell silent.

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

admitted, "That would be

past her cousins to Vivienne, asked,

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

Willa, she immediately said, "I've already said

wrong about one thing. If my mom wakes up,

she?" Maddox was

"Because she's blindly

her mother speak of her deep feelings for

a partner, perhaps, but not as

family exchanged looks

now? Do we actually

warning enough. "Try

backtracked. "No, no, I

looked meaningfully at Vivienne. "You

not long

his granddaughter well. She was

to her, yet her involvement in this

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

on the battlefield, not forgetting her

conversation turned to

time for a change now that many issues were being handled by Vivienne and Percival,

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

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