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 going

know what Karen was planning, but she

Karen wouldn’t have said

eyes resolute as if to say,

“Tomorrow, Frost is going to treat my

long while before her deep voice finally broke

Danger was not an absolute concern for her.

hair. “I’m

had no talent in fortune-telling, but

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

She believed him!

and decisions, and once she had made up

slowly eating

the steak

in front of

looked up sharply to see Maddox, with a cheeky grin, watching her.

that she had completely ignored the danger

darted back, ready to

quick on her heels, “Willa,

paid yet!

fast-acting steak house owner grabbed him. “Maddox, you

Do you have to

that split second, Willa would

addict and

wished he could skin Fredrick alive.

owner’s hands.

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

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

again, she

Jasper, who was enjoying a stew as if

eyeing Karen, had a look of woe on his face. He

herself to clean up, sending Vivienne to play chess

ladies started a game of poker, roping in Percival

Luke to a sparring match, insisting