The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Jasper was still wading through a swamp of guilt as he continued, “I’ve been treating you like a stand-in

for my daughter, and I crossed a line. I hope you’re not upset. I’m just an old man with selfish desires; I

don’t want to lose contact with you.”

Vivienne snapped back to reality and offered a gentle smile. “It’s okay. If you like, I’d be happy to call

you ‘Grandpa.'”

Hearing Vivienne’s words, Jasper was overwhelmed with emotion, tears tracing the lines of his

weathered face.

She offered to call him ‘Grandpa.’ How could he not be moved?

Jasper patted Vivienne’s hand, struggling for words before finally managing, “Yes, yes, that would be

wonderful.”

With each affirmation, Vivienne felt her own eyes mist over.

Every time she met Jasper, she experienced a peculiar sensation.

It was an instinctual pull to be close to him.

Not a duty, not an obligation, but an innate desire for closeness.

When she received the paternity test results, her emotions were anything but calm.

She was elated.

Happy for herself and for her mother.

If her mother was indeed Sasha, then whatever her fake family had done, it did not matter to her

anymore.

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In this world, there were true family members who cherished her, protected her, and loved her.

Vivienne and Jasper talked for hours, the air filled with laughter and warm conversation.

After dinner, Vivienne left the Perez Mansion.

She did not call Percival to pick her up; instead, she strolled down the road, her cool face set in solemn

contemplation.

There was no mistake in her paternity report.

She was definitely related to the Perez family!

The mistake lay with the Perez family!

Who did not want Jasper to recognize her?

And could her mother’s disappearance have another explanation?

As these thoughts circled her mind, a slow smile crept across her lips.

The Perez family, how intriguing.

Behind her, a discreet black Bentley inched along the road so slowly that it was overtaken by electric

scooters.

Inside, Percival sat in the back seat, silently watching Vivienne’s retreating figure.

“Percival, shouldn’t we offer Vivienne a ride?” Thomas, the driver, inquired.

Percival shook his head. “No need. Vivienne is in a mood; she needs some time alone.”

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Thomas nodded, though he did not understand how Percival could read Vivienne’s mood from her

silhouette.

…

Back at the Perez residence, Jasper remained seated in the garden.

“Dad, Willa is leaving. She asked me to give this to you,” Yuri handed over a bag.

Jasper looked inside to find all of Willa’s savings throughout the years, along with a few articles of

clothing.

Willa had served as his bodyguard in Sea City and had grown up by his side, raised like his daughter.

But Willa’s background was distinct.

She was the child Jasper had found during a crackdown on RST, barely four at the time, remembering

only that her name was Willa.

She wore a bracelet engraved with the initials ‘F-Poison.’

He knew Willa was the daughter of F-Poison.

But back then, F-Poison had fled, and young Willa, innocent and alone, was taken in by Jasper.

Before Sasha disappeared, Willa would follow her everywhere, calling her ‘sister’ as if they were blood.

After Sasha was taken, Willa wept for ages. Once her tears dried, she approached Jasper with a

request to train in martial arts to protect him in Sasha’s stead.

Throughout the years, Jasper never revealed Willa’s true identity.

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And Willa, for her part, had always regarded him as her birth father.

But one day, Willa confronted him with her bracelet, asking if her father was the man who had taken

Sasha.

From that day on, Willa knew her origins and was submerged in guilt.

Despite Jasper’s attempts to guide her, she was adamant and determined to leave the Perez family to

find Sasha.

Jasper, naturally, refused. Willa had never been outside of the Perez family’s protection, and he feared

what dangers she might encounter on her own.

Though skilled, her naivety and stubbornness made her vulnerable.

Willa persisted, selling everything the Perez family had given her over the years and working odd jobs

to save money—all to atone for her father’s sins.

Jasper saw it all, and it pained him, for she was his child in all but blood.

And to make matters more complicated, his third son still harbored feelings for her, remaining unwed

and loyal to her memory.

Now that Willa was set on leaving, Jasper could not stop her.

He resolved to let her go freely and to have her secretly protected, ensuring she would not fall into

despair.

Storing the bag safely, Jasper decided, “When that stubborn child returns, I’ll give this to her.”

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Yuri nodded in agreement. “Dad, there’s something else. Willa mentioned she stepped out for ten

minutes during the DNA test.”Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books

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“Stepped out for ten minutes?” Jasper furrowed his brow. “Where did she go?”

“Diana had a car accident and called Willa. Since the blood samples had already been taken for

testing, Willa went to sort out Diana’s situation first, then returned.”

Jasper’s concern did not wane. “How is Diana?”

Yuri helped Jasper to his feet and into the house. “She’s fine, just a few scratches. It was more of a

scare than anything, and she called Willa in a panic.”

“That’s good. Give Diana a comforting call. She wanted to come with me to Rivenwood, but I

disagreed. She’s probably a bit upset.”

Yuri simply acknowledged, not showing much reaction to his father’s words.

Jasper knew his son well. “Even if she’s not your blood sister, she grew up with you. A little compassion

wouldn’t hurt. I remember when she spat with Zelda, and Zelda forgave her. Why can’t you?”

“It’s not that I’m petty; I just can’t warm up to her. I can be nice to Willa, but Diana…” Yuri let out a

heavy sigh.

Diana Perez, the foster child Jasper had taken in, never quite managed to bond with the brothers. Back

then, only Sasha took a liking to playing with her.

If it were about blood ties, well, Willa was not a Perez by birth either—she was the child of a family they

had feuded with. Yet, the brothers did not resent her. In fact, they were quite fond of her.

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But Diana, they could only manage civility at best.

Jasper looked at Yuri, his gaze sharpening. “Regardless, she’s your sister. We took her in, and it’s our

duty to treat her well.”

Yuri pursed his lips. “Dad! She’s not related to us by blood and can’t replace Sasha. I can’t treat her the

way I did Sasha.”

It was not a question of blood relations that made Yuri feel distant from Diana.

He had tried to be kind to Diana, to make up for what he felt he owed to Sasha by extending it to her.

Perhaps in that way, someone would be equally good to his sister.

But with Diana…

Jasper gave him a look as if to say something but finally relented. “Suit yourselves!”

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