The online chatter was heating up, and Emma had not been to the bakery or sent little Asher to preschool for the past few days. Instead of covering up the situation with lies, she chose to explain things carefully to her child.She laid out the facts for Asher, who was just over four years old and did not understand much. When he could not get something, he would ask his mom, and Emma would patiently explain using examples and explanations that Asher could grasp. It took nearly an entire day for her to make everything clear to him.Asher furrowed his little brow and expressed his opinion. “They’re bad!”Emma nodded firmly, “Yes, they’re bad!”“Now that this is all over the internet, a lot of people are also criticizing your father,” Emma said, showing her phone to Asher with the comments displayed.Asher could not read the comments yet, so Emma was not expecting him to. She simply pointed out the high number of comments, explaining, “These are everyone’s opinions.”Asher could
The little one immediately raised his small arms in excitement and cheerfully agreed. “Yes!”“But, Mommy, why do bad people still win even when Dad hasn’t done anything wrong?” The child was puzzled.Emma explained with a smile, “You see, many people online don’t know the whole story and are blaming him because bad people often hide the truth. If he can’t beat them, they might win.“But even if he loses, as long as he doesn’t give up and can pick himself back up, he hasn’t been defeated by the bad guys. That means he’s a hero! Isn’t that right?” Emma asked with a grin while looking at her child.“Yes!” The little one raised his chubby arms and cheered, “Daddy is a hero. He’ll beat them one day!”“Exactly!” Emma high-fived her child. “So let’s patiently wait for him to come back.”Feeling reassured, the little one spent his days playing games and learning with his mother while eagerly awaiting his father to return. A week later, the sound of the front door finally rang through t
Emma followed along, making sure that the little one had tucked himself in and was sleeping soundly before she stepped out.Landon had finished half a sandwich by the time she came in. Watching him devour it made Emma’s heart ache, and it made her wonder what he had been through this entire time. Emma said nothing, just sat quietly beside him, watching him eat.Soon, Landon had finished everything on the plate."Are you full?" Emma asked. "You ate so quickly. If you're still hungry later, I can make you more."Eating too fast could fill the stomach but not make one feel satiated. If he continued eating now, he might end up overeating. That was why Emma told Landon to wait a bit and assess how he felt."I’m full," Landon said with a smile. "I ate something around 6 p.m. at the office."Emma nodded slightly, relieved to know that Landon’s eating habits were still somewhat regular.Landon asked, "While the bakery has been closed, has Ash not been going to preschool too?""Yeah."
“And you know, things are much better now than they were back then. We actually have some extra money," Emma said with a smile and not the slightest bit troubled. She genuinely did not seem to care."Just don’t let it get to you. It’s just a matter of money. Everyone goes through ups and downs. Don’t worry about it. It’s no big deal."Emma’s easygoing attitude made Landon chuckle softly. "Alright. Let’s find a place to live.""Sure thing, I’ve got this covered. I’m experienced with this sort of thing," Emma replied readily, showing no hesitation. "How soon do we need to move out?""In five days," Landon said."Got it." Emma nodded. "And what about your things? Will you have time to pack?"Landon shook his head. "I don’t have much to pack—just a few clothes and my computer.""Alright," Emma said, nodding calmly. "I’ll start house hunting tomorrow. You handle packing and sorting things out. I’ll video call you with options so you can take a look.""Sounds good," Landon agreed.
"Landon is my husband, so if you’re looking for him, you’re looking for me!" Emma declared with fierce determination.As Emma spoke, the elevator doors behind her opened slowly. Landon, standing in the elevator, overheard what she said, and a deep smile spread across his face."Emma, you go on up," Landon said calmly. "I’ll have a word with them."Emma glanced at Landon, then turned to Mary and said, "I’ll have you know that Landon is my husband. If you try to mess with him, you’ll have to deal with me!"You may have money and power, but remember this: the poor have nothing to lose or fear. Push me too far, and I’m capable of anything!" Emma threatened fiercely.Landon could not help but chuckle to himself. He suddenly felt that Emma was quite protective of her man, and now, he was the one being protected by her.After Emma’s warning, she turned to Landon and said softly, “I’ll cook dinner and wait for you to come back.”“Okay,” Landon replied with a smile. He watched Emma ent
The problem was, the way those things were stated made them sound like absolute truth."I don’t believe it!" Emma said firmly. "How could someone who runs a food factory, hires people with disabilities, and helps them become self-sufficient be a bad person?"Landon glanced at Emma and smiled. "Well, I have to admit something. Actually, this idea was inspired by you."Emma looked puzzled. "What does that have to do with anything? You did it, didn’t you?"None of us are born knowing what to do. It’s usually because of someone or something that we get inspired to act."Good deeds are good deeds. Why should we worry about the reasons behind them?"Emma’s words made Landon smile and let out a soft sigh. "Emma, how are you so wonderful?"Emma bit her lip, feeling a little flustered by his praise. "I’m just an ordinary person. Nothing special."She was not used to being complimented like that.Landon laughed lightly and asked, "Maybe this isn’t the best time, but Emma, I want to ask
Landon secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Emma had not outright rejected him, which meant there was still hope."How are we different?" Landon asked, earnestly engaging in the conversation with Emma."And don’t say money," Landon added with a playful grin. "That’s too superficial."Emma shook her head, smiling. "Money may be superficial, but it represents a lot. It shows capability—being able to spot opportunities and having the luck and the smarts to capitalize on them. That’s how you make money.""There’s also another possibility that I had a head start and inherited it from my family,” Landon countered with a smile. “It’s not all because of my hard work, but because my family raised me well.""But that’s your family’s legacy," Emma replied naturally. "It shows that your parents, your elders, worked hard. Just like how you're working hard now to provide a good environment for your son, giving him the best education and broadening his horizons. When he grows up, he’ll live bette
At his question, Emma fell silent.Did she like him? Of course, she did. How could she not?It was not just because Landon was so handsome; it was also his kindness and the way he treated her. How could she not like him?However, it all seemed too unbelievable. Why would someone as amazing as him be interested in her?“Do you not like me?” Landon teased, pretending to be serious. “Am I that bad? Is that why you don’t like me even a little?”“No, no, it’s not that…” Emma stammered, suddenly flustered and unsure of how to respond.Landon kept up the act, his face mock-serious. “So, do you like me or not?”Emma quickly glanced at Landon, then turned her gaze to a corner of the room, avoiding his eyes. A wave of heat rushed to her cheeks, making her face feel like it was on fire.Suddenly, she felt warmth around her hand. Landon had taken it into his, holding it gently but firmly. Startled, she tried to pull away, but his grip was just strong enough that she could not break
“Of course, marriage is about mutual benefit. You treat me well, and I treat you well in return. You help me shoulder life's pressures, and I offer you support. That’s what fosters a stable marriage,” Emma stated matter-of-factly.“It won’t work if one side keeps giving while the other takes without giving anything in return.“And sometimes, it may seem like one side isn’t contributing, but there are always invisible sacrifices being made.“Otherwise, how could any marriage last?” Landon wrapped his arms around Emma and sighed softly. “You know, what I love most about you is your clear understanding of things.“You give me a sense of security,” Landon said candidly. He knew Emma was not the type to overthink things as she was a very reasonable person.“You see, Asher has grown so optimistic and cheerful because of you. Being with you makes me feel incredibly at ease. That’s something money can’t buy.”Emma thought seriously for a moment. “If you need comfort, I feel like ther
Emma froze, her curiosity piqued. “What did you learn?”She was not surprised that Asher had absorbed her lessons as that was her goal in teaching him. But what had Landon learned? “I learned a lot,” Landon replied with a smile. “For example, your attention to detail and patience, your tolerance for others, and your ability to handle situations calmly—”Emma laughed, breaking his train of thought. “Stop, stop, stop! If you keep going, I might start believing I'm some kind of superhero! I’d be even better than you!” “Then I'd really be lacking in self-awareness if I think that,” Landon said as he wrapped his arms around her. “You genuinely possess many admirable qualities—exactly what I need.”“Alright, alright... what you need,” Emma replied casually.Landon gently tapped her shoulder. “Are you brushing me off?”Emma pouted. “You hit me…”Landon hurriedly rubbed her shoulder. “Did it hurt?”He had not even used enough force to swat a fly but hearing Emma say it made him do
People loved to take advantage of a good deal, and after consulting the owner, the manager anticipated such behavior from the customers when he proposed the solution. Besides, both the owner and the manager possessed a broader vision. They understood that they could not let a small financial loss tarnish their restaurant's reputation.The way they handled the incident turned into a great advertising opportunity. Those diners who experienced the situation firsthand became loyal customers. They now had a favorable impression of the restaurant and would be the first to recommend it for future gatherings or family outings. No amount of traditional advertising could rival the power of genuine recommendations from friends and family.Both the restaurant owner and manager knew how to effectively navigate a business crisis. What could have been a damaging situation had transformed into positive publicity due to their prompt action.“Let Daddy explain the specifics of the business
The restaurant manager politely apologized and thanked them before clearing all the food from the table. Emma smiled. "I really like this restaurant."Landon nodded, recognizing that this was a business that understood customer service. Just then, Emma spotted Asher’s confused expression. "Those dishes we had earlier might have been touched by that lady."If someone used a spoon that others had already used to scoop food for me, would you be pleased by that?" Asher shook his head vigorously. "Not at all!""Exactly! So, the food that might have come into contact with that lady's saliva was removed and destroyed by the restaurant staff," Emma continued. Asher looked concerned at Emma’s words. "That's such a waste!" "It is, but there's no other option," Emma sighed lightly. "If someone were to get sick from eating that food, it would be much worse. That was a terrible mistake that the lady made. "So the restaurant staff wants to make sure that the mistake was dealt with the
Asher nodded energetically. “Yes!”“Exactly! So, making mistakes isn’t scary, and not knowing things isn’t scary either. The key is to admit it boldly,” Emma explained.“When we make a mistake, we correct it. If we don’t know something, and it doesn’t affect others, we don’t have to learn it if we don’t want to.“But if it impacts others, we need to learn from it,” she continued.“Just like that lady earlier, she needed to learn not to use shared tongs to serve food. But for something like not wanting to do someone’s makeup, that’s okay, she doesn’t have to learn that.“Shared tongs are necessary for everyone, and they can’t be replaced. If you don’t want to do someone’s makeup, they can find someone else to help. That service can be substituted.”Asher listened intently and nodded his head. “I understand now, Mommy!”Landon watched the entire exchange and silently marveled at Emma’s approach. She had a knack for using examples from Asher’s own experiences to explain things, m
Asher beamed up at Emma, a sense of pride shining on his face.Emma finally gathered her emotions and turned to Asher. “Mommy makes mistakes too, Ash.”Asher’s smile faltered as confusion washed over him. “Huh?”Emma chuckled softly and ruffled his hair. “It’s not just Mommy who makes mistakes, Daddy does too.”“Really?” Asher exclaimed as he turned to look at Landon. His face was filled with disbelief.Landon smiled, though he was unsure where Emma was going with the conversation. Nevertheless, he cooperated without hesitation. “That’s right. Daddy makes mistakes too.”Asher’s mouth hung open in surprise, clearly shocked to learn that his impressive parents could also err.“Not just your parents,” Emma continued with a smile, “even people who are more capable than us make mistakes.”“Why?” Asher asked, furrowing his brows in confusion. “If everyone makes mistakes, then why do we even learn?”“Because we work hard to make fewer mistakes and try our best not to cause trouble
“What disruption? You’re just bullying your customers because your business is big!” The middle-aged woman exploded in anger. “Don’t think I’m easy to push around. I’m calling the police!”The restaurant manager nodded calmly. “Please do. Since your actions have caused damage to our establishment, we will also hold you accountable for those damages.”“Damages? What damages?” the woman shouted, stomping her feet in frustration.Unfazed, the manager responded evenly, “Because of your actions, we now need to remove and replace all the food at the serving stations. You’ll be responsible for covering those losses.“And if any customers request refunds because of this, we’ll refund them in full. If they ask for compensation, we’ll provide that too. All of these expenses will be your responsibility.”The woman nearly exploded at the manager’s words. “You’re deluded!“Come on, son, we’re leaving!” She yanked her son’s arm, pulling him toward the exit.But the restaurant staff was not ab
Since Asher had decided to eat one piece of cake himself, he chose fewer cakes, worried that he would not be able to finish them.‘Look at that! He’s already learning how to make his own choices,’ Emma thought proudly.Emma followed Asher’s lead, picking up the cakes he wanted. Just as they were about to leave, Asher suddenly grabbed her sleeve.Puzzled, Emma looked down and asked, “What is it, sweetie?”“They’re using tongs to feed each other,” Asher said, frowning in displeasure.Emma glanced over and saw a middle-aged woman holding a pair of tongs, about to feed a cake to her son. The boy, around eight or nine, reached out to take the cake with his hand, but the woman pulled the tongs back and scolded him, “Don’t use your hands! Just open your mouth.”Emma felt her face flush in disbelief. ‘What are they thinking?’ she protested quietly.The woman did not want her son to use his hands, claiming it was dirty, yet she was about to feed him with the tongs that everyone used to
Landon smiled. “I like eating too. Our whole family does. But what I enjoy most is eating with all of you.”Asher quickly agreed, “I’m always happy when I eat with Mommy and Daddy.”The family of three arrived at the buffet. Thankfully, Emma had already reserved a spot using her phone while they were still on the road.They headed straight to a small private room, ordered their food through the app, and waited for the server to bring it.“Mommy…” Asher called as he tugged at Emma’s shirt. “I want some cake.”Emma laughed and put on her sunglasses. “Let’s go get some cake.”Asher beamed with excitement. “Okay!” With one hand he held Emma’s hand tightly, while he swung the other one back and forth enthusiastically. He hurried along, and his wide, gleaming eyes searched eagerly for the cake display ahead.“Mommy, over there!” He spotted the table filled with cakes in an instant.Even though he was thrilled to see the cakes, Asher did not let go of Emma’s hand or rush ahead.