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.

I’m not going

was planning, but she

wouldn’t have said what

firm, her eyes resolute as

helplessly, her mouth curving into a gentle arch. “Tomorrow, Frost is going to treat my memory loss after-effects. Maybe by

for a long while before her deep voice finally broke the quiet. “Is it

confirmed. Danger was not an absolute concern for her. Regaining her memory

hair. “I’m not

had no talent in fortune-telling, but

to a ripe old age, surrounded by children and grandchildren,

She believed him!

thoughts and

still, slowly eating the steak on

plate, quietly separating the steak from the salad with her

of her

looked up sharply to see Maddox, with a cheeky grin, watching her. “Eat up if you like

she had completely ignored the danger of Maddox sneaking

back,

was quick on

you haven’t paid yet! Three

Maddox could chase after her, the fast-acting steak house owner

we go way back. Do you have to do

split second, Willa

steak house owner snorted and said, “Fredrick already told me you’re a gambling addict and a womanizer, too. Seeing how you chased

this moment, Maddox almost wished he could skin Fredrick alive. This was no way to spread

it in the owner’s hands. “From

let go of Maddox

groan, Maddox stormed out. However, on the empty street, Willa was nowhere to

chance to see her again, she slipped away. He hadn’t even

Vivienne were accompanying Jasper, who

a look of woe on his face. He had overheard the

upon herself to clean

game of poker, roping

sparring