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 for it,

a

Luke interjected. "Remember, he's a decorated war hero. If the authorities find out he has a daughter he hasn't acknowledged,

him, they'll

at

Shrugging, Maddox fell silent.

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

admitted, "That

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

dealings with the Grimshaw family, and

immediately said, "I've already

looking at Maddox, she added, "Uncle, you're wrong about one thing. If

was puzzled. After

"Because she's blindly in

her mother speak of her deep feelings for Arthur,

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

family exchanged

his surprise, asked, "So what now? Do we

glare was warning enough. "Try

"No, no, I never said

no consensus was reached. Finally, Jasper looked meaningfully at Vivienne. "You

long acquainted,

was not one

no interest to her, yet

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

years on the battlefield, not forgetting her and Karen, were

conversation turned

that many issues were being handled by Vivienne and Percival, and with

avoiding a direct response to Jasper's observation,

Jasper didn't press further. "Alright, let's