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

planning, but she guessed it involved going somewhere

said what

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

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

before her deep voice finally broke

Danger was not an absolute

hair. “I’m not going

she had no talent in fortune-telling,

ripe old age, surrounded

She believed him!

Karen had her thoughts and decisions, and

still, slowly eating

separating the steak from the salad

of her with

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

her thoughts that she had completely

darted back, ready to

was quick on

paid

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

way back. Do you have to do this?”

Willa would have

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

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

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

owner immediately let go of Maddox

the empty

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

and Vivienne were accompanying Jasper, who was enjoying a stew as

his face. He had

Karen took it upon herself to clean up, sending Vivienne to

a game of poker, roping

challenging Luke to a sparring match, insisting