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

said

resolute as if to say, “Wherever you

treat my memory loss

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

neither denied nor confirmed. Danger was not an absolute concern for her. Regaining her memory was

hair. “I’m not

had no talent in fortune-telling, but Ulysses

said she’d live to a ripe old age, surrounded by

She believed him!

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

sat still, slowly eating the steak on her

separating the steak from

of her

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

thoughts that she had completely ignored

back, ready to

on

you haven’t paid

her, the fast-acting steak house owner grabbed him. “Maddox, you can’t dine and

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

Willa would have

“Fredrick already told me you’re a gambling addict and a womanizer, too. Seeing how you chased after that girl, he’s right! Pay

alive. This was

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

steak house owner immediately let go of Maddox and said with a

stormed out. However, on the

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

Vivienne were accompanying Jasper, who was

of woe on his face. He had overheard the

upon herself to clean up, sending Vivienne to play chess with

poker,

sparring match, insisting