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.

snapped his fingers. "Exactly, Willa! I knew we were on the same

gave him a glance,

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

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

at him.

Shrugging, Maddox fell silent.

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

admitted, "That would be

past her cousins to Vivienne, asked,

in court hearings and dealings with the Grimshaw

immediately said, "I've already said I

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

would she?" Maddox was puzzled. After being

she's blindly

her mother speak of her deep feelings for

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

Perez family exchanged looks of

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

enough. "Try it

"No, no, I

looked meaningfully at Vivienne. "You actually want to acknowledge him,

long acquainted,

well. She was not one to indulge

interest to her, yet her

a soft heart beneath her tough exterior. Deep down, she knew Arthur wasn't the villain she portrayed him

on the battlefield, not forgetting her

turned to

a change now that many issues were being

a direct response to Jasper's

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