Once Reina left, Damien’s expression darkened. He had not expected to misjudge her so badly. He had always thought of Reina as a rule-abiding person, but he was surprised by her underhandedness. She had managed to maintain a facade of propriety, which explained how she had quickly risen to prominence in the industry. But now, Damien sneered. For someone who had just begun making a name for herself, Reina was already acting as if she were invincible. The industry was much more treacherous than she seemed to realize.Damien snorted coldly and immediately called Emma’s agent to report what had happened. The person on the other end of the line chuckled. “I’ve been out of the industry for a few years, but it seems like every Tom, Dick, and Harry is coming out of the woodwork now. Even people I used to work with are being pushed around. How interesting.”After the call ended, Damien chuckled to himself.This was someone known for their short temper, and Landon had even brought t
Penny glanced at Emma. Emma nodded slightly and signaled Penny to open the door. Since Reina had arrived, it would not be right to leave her waiting outside.As the door opened, Reina walked in with a smile. “Emma, I’m sorry about earlier. I came to see you.”A woman followed Reina inside, carrying several items that appeared to be gifts or tokens of apology.Emma admired Reina’s audacity. She had caused trouble on set, and now she showed up with gifts to make amends. The display of goodwill was impressive, though it was clear that it was only a façade.Penny closed the door, her expression turning sour.Reina settled into a chair as if she owned the place, her smile now radiating a disingenuous warmth. “I’m truly sorry for the trouble earlier. It was all a mistake on my part.”Emma watched Reina in silence, waiting to see what she would do next.“At times, mistakes like this are inevitable on set,” Reina said, though her smile had shifted from genuine apology to condescen
Reina made her intentions crystal clear. When they filmed the fight scenes, she planned to take the opportunity to beat Emma thoroughly.Emma’s face turned dark. “You can’t confront Lina, so you’ve come to take it out on me? You don’t seem to be all that capable yourself,” Emma retorted coldly.In the past, Emma might have swallowed her anger. For survival, to earn a living, and to support Asher, she could tolerate a lot. But now, she had the means to fight back and no longer needed to endure unfairness.Emma’s words caused Reina’s expression to shift abruptly. She was furious. “Don’t overestimate yourself. I’ll remind you that you’re just a newcomer in this industry and there are plenty of ways to make a newcomer disappear in this circle!” Reina threatened.Before Reina could finish her threat, a mocking laugh echoed through the room. “Make my people disappear? After all these years, have I lost my touch, or has the industry grown so unfamiliar that I don’t recognize it anym
Edwina rolled her eyes at Reina’s words. “Do you even know who that person is?”“Who gives a shit? He’s clearly not very important if I don’t know him!” Reina retorted as she angrily opened a bottle of water.Edwina replied coldly, “Sure, not ‘important’, he’s just Kingsley Shacklebolt.”Reina’s bottle of water fell to the floor with a dull thud as it spilled everywhere.“Shacklebolt? Kingsley Shacklebolt?” Reina almost lost her mind as she grabbed Edwina by the shoulders and demanded, “What’s going on? How could this be? I thought Kingsley had retired from the industry?”Kingsley was a name everyone knew. He was a revered agent, renowned for his unparalleled success. Every artist he managed became a hit, with awards like Best Actor and Actress being routine achievements.What was even more peculiar was that after making an artist a star, he would often terminate their contract. He was famous for taking on unknown talents, and then turning them into superstars.Several years ago
“Are you still going to work with Reina?” Emma looked puzzled. “She’s the lead actress. I have a few scenes with her.”Kingsley sat back down, and looked at Emma carefully before he smiled and asked, “How do you think I should handle the Reina situation?”Emma answered matter-of-factly, “Isn’t it about getting her to behave and stop causing trouble for me?”Kingsley burst into laughter. “Fascinating. I’ve never met anyone quite like you before.”Emma was taken aback by his reaction, and stared at him in confusion, unsure of what she had said to provoke such an enthusiastic response.Kingsley composed himself and then sighed deeply. “No wonder. I understand now.“Anyway, have a good rest for now,” Kingsley said, rising to leave.Emma, still bewildered, turned to Penny. “Did I say something wrong?”Penny shook her head. “No, you didn’t.”“Then what does this mean?” Emma asked, trying to make sense of the situation.Penny smiled reassuringly. “Let Mr. Shacklebolt handle everyt
Just before ending his call with Landon, Kingsley provided a figure to Landon for the investment he mentioned. Landon hung up, and soon, the money was transferred into Kingsley’s account. Please, Kingsley turned off his phone. “Working with people who don’t beat around the bush is always pleasant.”Having rested, Emma resumed filming her scenes in the afternoon. She had accomplished quite a bit on her first day, and Damien was very satisfied with her performance.“... Think over this part a bit more,” Damien instructed as he outlined the scenes Emma would shoot the next day. He advised her to review the material thoroughly.“Got it, Damien,” Emma said, nodding seriously and expressing her thanks before heading back to the hotel.After dinner, she estimated it was the right time and called her family for a video chat.“Mommy!” As soon as the video call connected, Asher’s face eagerly filled the screen.“Mommy, I miss you.”Emma’s heart ached for him. “Asher, Mommy misses you to
“I’m not that great of an actor, but Damien still took the time to explain the scenes to me and helped me understand the characters,” Emma beamed. “I’m so lucky that Damien likes me,” she added.Landon felt a pang of frustration. The self-doubt Emma revealed was truly heartbreaking.“Have you never considered why Damien favors you so much? Why is he better to you compared to other actors?” Landon asked.Emma gave him a mysterious smile. “You’re pulling my leg.”Landon was taken aback by her response. He pointed at himself and asked, “I’m the one pulling your leg?”“What I mean is,” Emma said with a playful grin, “Damien treats me well because you’re my husband.“Damien wouldn’t dare to disrespect you, even if he was furious. He’d hold back just for you,” Emma said with a hint of pride. “But don’t worry. I’m working very hard and so no one can say I was taking advantage of that.”Landon was both amused and exasperated by Emma’s response. “Emma, haven’t you considered another po
“Yeah.” Landon chuckled. “You've got someone to back you up now. If anyone messes with you, just tell me. I'll handle it.”Emma could not help but laugh at that. She did not say anything but smiled at Landon through the screen, her smile tugging at his heartstrings.“It's getting late. You should get some rest. You've got another day on set tomorrow,” Landon gently reminded her.It was Emma's first time acting, so there were bound to be challenges and new things to learn. Rest was crucial for her.“Okay.” Emma nodded with a smile. Just as she was about to end the video call, she suddenly spoke up. “Landon…”“Yeah?” Landon paused, his finger hovering over the end-call button. “What's up?”“Having you around is the best,” Emma blurted out before quickly ending the call.The image of Emma vanished from the screen, leaving Landon momentarily stunned. Then, he broke into a silent smile.Was that… a sign that their relationship was progressing? He realized that while distance could
“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.