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.

fingers. "Exactly, Willa! I knew we were on the same page. They were all for

him a glance, her expression

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

if we don't acknowledge him, they'll lock

at

Shrugging, Maddox fell silent.

surely try to persuade Vivienne. Do you want them

admitted, "That would

Vivienne,

had been up 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

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

she?" Maddox was puzzled.

"Because she's blindly in

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

a partner, perhaps,

exchanged

we actually have

enough. "Try it and

quickly backtracked. "No, no, I never

discussion, no consensus was reached. Finally, Jasper looked meaningfully at Vivienne. "You actually want to acknowledge him,

not long

well. She was not one to

to her, yet her

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

battlefield, not forgetting her and Karen,

turned

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

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

further. "Alright, let's leave the