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 not

what Karen was planning, but she guessed it involved going somewhere very,

have said what she

grip firm, her eyes resolute as if to say, “Wherever you go, I’ll

treat my memory loss after-effects. Maybe by the next time we

while before her deep

nor confirmed. Danger was not an absolute concern for her. Regaining her

“I’m not going to

she had no talent in

had said she’d live to a ripe old age, surrounded by children and grandchildren, enjoying family

She believed him!

didn’t say anything more. She understood that Karen had her thoughts and decisions, and

Karen left, Willa sat still, slowly eating the steak on her

quietly separating the

of her

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

she had completely ignored the danger of

back, ready to

quick on her heels,

you haven’t paid yet! Three

steak house owner grabbed

back. Do you have to do this?” Maddox rubbed his

that split second, Willa would have definitely

“Fredrick already told me you’re a gambling addict and a womanizer, too. Seeing how you chased after that

skin Fredrick alive. This was no way to spread rumors about

hundreds and stuffed it in the owner’s hands. “From now on, I’m your VIP. Don’t ever ask me to

house owner immediately let go of Maddox and said with a smile, “No problem! Take

on the empty street,

when he had the chance to see her again, she slipped away. He

were accompanying Jasper, who was enjoying a stew as if nothing had

had a look of woe on his face. He

dinner, Karen took it upon herself to clean

game of poker, roping

sparring match, insisting