The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Willa took a bite of the salad and asked nonchalantly, “I don’t see the link.”

“But there is!”

Karen exhaled heavily and pinched Willa’s cheek. “Didn’t Dad drill it into you since you were knee-high to a grasshopper that you can’t be picky, that you can’t just eat the steak and ignore the salad? Because that’s just common sense, it’s the basics, it’s about not being wasteful.”

Willa nodded, confused. “Isn’t that how it should be?”

“But what if you just don’t like the salad? If you don’t want to eat it, then don’t. Not everything you do has to please Dad, nor does every action have to benefit the Perez family before you decide to do it. Everything you do should make you happy, got it?”

Willa sort of got it, but not really. She had always told herself that whatever happened, she needed to put the interests of the Perez family first.

The only time she ever went against Jasper’s wishes was when she had to leave the Perez family because of the F-Poison incident.

But technically, it was still for the benefit of the Perez family.

This mindset had become deeply ingrained in Willa.

Karen’s sudden outburst today left her at a loss.

What were the things that she actually liked?

Seeing Willa’s puzzled and lost gaze, Karen didn’t press on. She knew Willa had to figure it out on her own.

Some things are buried deep in the heart and aren’t so easily rooted out, especially for someone as stubborn as Willa.

Coming to a real understanding would take time.

“Alright, chew on that for a while. I’ll give this notebook to Frost. If there’s anything else, go straight to her.”

As Karen got up to leave, Willa grabbed her wrist. “Sasha, where are you going?”

Willa, with a keen sense, sensed a farewell in Karen’s demeanor. Her eyes held a tightness as if Karen would disappear the next second.

Jasper had just welcomed her back; where could she be going now?

Karen patted Willa’s hand gently, as light as a spring breeze.

worry, I’m

she guessed

wouldn’t have said

grip firm, her eyes resolute as if to say,

a gentle arch. “Tomorrow, Frost is going to treat my memory loss after-effects. Maybe by the next

before her deep

absolute concern for her.

Willa’s hair. “I’m not

no

said she’d live to a ripe old age,

She believed him!

her thoughts and decisions, and once she had made up her

Willa sat still, slowly eating the steak

plate, quietly separating the steak from the salad with

in front of her with only

see Maddox, with a cheeky grin, watching her. “Eat up if you

had completely ignored the

back,

Maddox was quick on her

paid yet!

chase after her, the fast-acting steak house owner grabbed him. “Maddox,

go way back. Do you have to do this?” Maddox rubbed his head in

that split second, Willa

you’re a gambling addict and

Fredrick alive.

Maddox took out a stack of hundreds and stuffed it in the owner’s hands. “From now on,

immediately let go of Maddox and said with a smile, “No

out. However, on the empty street, Willa was

her again, she slipped away. He hadn’t even asked if she had missed

accompanying Jasper, who was enjoying a

a look of woe on his

took it upon herself to clean up, sending Vivienne to play

poker, roping in Percival to spice

Luke to a sparring match, insisting Fredrick be the