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.

welcomed her back; where could she be

patted Willa's hand gently, as light as a spring

worry, I'm not going

but she guessed it involved

Karen wouldn't have said what she did

resolute as if

helplessly, her mouth curving into a 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 all are." Willa was silent for a long while

was not an absolute concern for her.

Willa's hair. "I'm not going to

had no talent

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

She believed him!

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

still, slowly eating

quietly separating the steak from the salad with

of her with only a plain

grin, watching her. "Eat up

had

darted back, ready

on

you haven't paid yet! Three

Maddox could chase after her, the fast-acting steak house owner grabbed him. "Maddox, you can't dine

we go way back. Do you have to do this?" Maddox rubbed his

second, Willa would have definitely

and said, "Fredrick already told me you're a gambling addict and a womanizer,

almost wished he could skin Fredrick alive. This was no way

out a stack of hundreds and stuffed it in the owner's hands. "From now on, I'm your VIP.

of Maddox and said with

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