The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

At the mention of it, Jasper couldn't help but grimace.

He knew it was coming! Yorick was on a warpath! And Arthur, always stirring the pot! Rising to his feet, Jasper cast a cold glance at Arthur. "Aren't you going to deal with this?" Arthur, ever so calmly, picked up his fork. "Dad, I'm now Arthur South. Your son. And a son's problems? That's for a father to solve." Bold as brass, he was! Jasper was speechless.

Outside, Yorick had waited for quite stwithout seeing Arthur emerge and decided to storm in.

Seeing Arthur still calmly eating his meal infuriated Yorick to the brink of explosion! "You ungrateful wretch! How dare you still eat? Who gave you the right to change your surname? Is 'Linklater' too shabby for you?" Before Arthur could respond, Yorick turned to Jasper, fuming, "And changing it to 'South'? Jasper Perez, playing smart, are you? With all your sons, and now you're poaching mine? Think I'm too old to fight back?" Jasper had intended to have a civil conversation with Yorick, but seeing the latter's rage, he simply sat down and responded indifferently, "Your son insisted on changing his surname. What's that got to do with me? He slept with my daughter and then deserted her. I haven't even settled that score with your Linklater clan, and here you are, demanding answers?" Jasper's tone turned icy, "What, because the Perez family doesn't wield power in court, you think you can trample all over us?" "Rubbish!" Yorick bellowed. "He's been on the battlefield; when did he have tto sleep with your daughter? Your lies are..." Mid-sentence, something dawned on him, and he turned to Arthur in shock. "The person you've been searching for... It's not Karen, is it?" He had learned that Arthur had been desperately looking for a woman named Winnie after returning home. Twenty years ago, Arthur had a girlfriend named Winnie, but they had separated due to his military duties. For years, Arthur remained single, haunted by the memory of Winnie.

But finding Winnie after so long proved difficult, prompting Yorick to leverage his resources to help in the search.

With three sons all in their forties and none married, the Linklater lineage was in jeopardy. If Winnie could be found and marry Arthur, perhaps it would set a precedent for the younger brothers.

Moreover, if Winnie could bear a child, the future of the Linklater clan would be secured.

But upon learning that Arthur had changed his surnto 'South' and moved to the Perez residence with the intention of staying there permanently, Yorick was livid. He couldn't understand Arthur's decision, but Jasper's words provided a moment of clarity.

"Yes," Arthur confirmed, "She even borea daughter!" He gestured towards Vivienne, "A remarkable daughter!" In that moment, Arthur's past prejudices against Vivienne seemed a distant memory.

Stunned, Yorick blurted out, "Holy smokes!" Then, breaking into laughter, he exclaimed, "Haha! The Linklater bloodline continues! Good on you, Karen! I always had high hopes for her; I wanted to introduce her to you myself. Who knew you two had met twenty years ago? It's fate!" Approaching Vivienne, he beamed, "Vivienne, I knew there was a special connection between us. You saved me, and you're my granddaughter! This is news I'll be laughing about for years. Let's not dawdle here any longer. We're throwing a grand feast in your honor." Pausing, Yorick added, "And for your mother, too. She might be unable to attend due to her condition, but worry not. We'll make it up to her with a magnificent wedding. She'll have a grand entrance into the Linklater family!" Vivienne remained silent.

าวน์ She didn't dislike Yorick, but as Yorick's joy seemed boundless, Arthur calmly interjected, "My father-in-law disapproves of my marriage to Karen. So, I changed my surname. Dad, you should head back. You don't need to bother with our wedding. We'll handle it in the Perez family. I'm joining the Perez now." Yorick's joy turned to fury, "What? Jasper, you old fox, you dare object to my son marrying Karen? What's wrong with him? Why do you disapprove?" "It seems you're just exploiting my son's love for Karen to make things difficult for him! And now, a change of surname? Ridiculous! I barely have a grandchild to speak of, and now you want to claim him, too?" "I won't allow it! Arthur must retain his surname! And Vivienne must take on the Linklater name! Over my dead body will I let this happen!" Jasper was silent for a moment, then slammed his hand on the table, "Enough with your yelling! He got my daughter pregnant and disappeared for over twenty years. You think you have the right to demand? I simply do not approve. What are you going to do about it?" "Besides, it was his decision to change his surname, not like I forced him. So, what are you going to do, bite me?" Yorick retorted, "Cut the crap! What do you mean he impregnated Karen and vanished? Was he frolicking with other women? Or raising another family? He was defending our country! Without his sacrifices, would you even enjoy your current peace?" For years, not being able to find Karen had been eating him up inside. It wasn't like he hadn't tried. Back in the day, being on the battlefield had kept him away, but ever since he got back, he'd been on a relentless search for Karen. But who could have guessed that Karen wasn't even her real name? If Arthur had known her real identity, he'd have found her ages ago. And yet, here they were, still giving him grief about it. Seriously, have sshame. Jasper stood up, ready to throw down, "Cut the crap! If Karen was using a fake name, you think he was any better? He didn't even have the guts to give his own true love his real name, and he has the nerve to talk about love?" "Let's not even get into the fact that he's the War God. The whole saga between Karen and Scott Brooks was the talk of Rivenwood. Anyone with half a brain could've tracked Karen down. The young ones might have excuses, but you? An old man making excuses too? It's not you guys who got hurt, not you who went through pregnancy and raising a child alone. So, standing there and talking crap doesn't stink?" Yorick was at a loss for words! He hated to admit it, but Jasper was right.

Karen had gone through the ordeal of childbirth alone, raised her daughter into an exceptional young woman, all on her own. It was nothing short of remarkable.

Yet, it wasn't like they hadn't tried to find her. It just never occurred to them that Karen could be the one. After all, she was Scott's beloved.

They had always assumed that the nWinnie was a cover for someone within the Brooks family circle or a distant cousin, and that's where they had been looking!