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.

we were on the same page. They were all

him a glance, her expression

not up to us," Luke interjected. "Remember, he's a decorated war hero. If

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

at him. "Be

Shrugging, Maddox fell silent.

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

admitted, "That

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

and dealings with the

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

she added, "Uncle, you're wrong about one thing. If my mom wakes up, she'd

she?" Maddox was

sighed, "Because she's blindly

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

Perfect as a partner, perhaps,

Perez family exchanged looks

Do we actually have to accept this guy as part of the

glare was warning enough. "Try

no, I never said

Jasper looked meaningfully at

not long

She was

to her, yet her involvement

down,

the battlefield, not forgetting her

conversation turned to

many issues were being handled by Vivienne and Percival, and with Sasha's condition

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

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