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

but she guessed it involved

wouldn’t have said what she did

grip firm, her eyes resolute as if to say, “Wherever

gentle arch. “Tomorrow, Frost is going to treat my memory loss after-effects. Maybe by the next time we meet, I’ll remember who they

was silent for a long while before her deep

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

hair. “I’m not going to

no talent

a ripe old age, surrounded by children

She believed him!

understood that Karen had her thoughts and decisions, and

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

at the plate, quietly separating the steak from the

front of her with

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

lost in her thoughts that she had completely ignored the danger

back,

Maddox was quick on

paid yet!

fast-acting steak house owner grabbed

to do

second, Willa would have definitely

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

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

owner’s hands.

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

out. However, on the empty street, Willa

her again, she slipped away. He hadn’t even

accompanying Jasper, who was

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

dinner, Karen took it upon herself to clean up,

started a game of poker, roping in Percival

Luke to a sparring