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

know what Karen was planning, but she guessed it involved going

Karen wouldn’t have said what

eyes resolute as if to say, “Wherever

a gentle arch. “Tomorrow, Frost is going to treat my

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

not an absolute concern for her.

Willa’s hair. “I’m not going

no talent in fortune-telling,

live to a ripe old age,

She believed him!

thoughts and decisions, and once she had made up her

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

quietly separating the steak from the salad with her

a plate appeared in front of her with only a

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

she had completely ignored the danger of Maddox sneaking up on

darted back, ready

on

haven’t paid

house owner grabbed him. “Maddox, you can’t

Do you have to do

split second, Willa would have

told me you’re a gambling addict and a womanizer, too. Seeing how you

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

stuffed it in the owner’s hands. “From now on, I’m your

go of Maddox and said with a smile, “No problem! Take

on the empty street, Willa was

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

Vivienne were accompanying Jasper, who was

woe on his face. He had overheard the conversation

took it upon herself to clean up, sending

started a game of poker, roping in Percival to spice things

sparring