"Why not?" Landon did the math for Emma.He laid out all the investment returns, data, and projections, leaving Emma feeling dizzy with all the figures."And that’s it." Landon took a sip of water, his throat dry from talking. "Now that you've heard it all, don't you think my investment strategy is making a lot of money?""If that's the case, then the money I make in the future will be real cash you can spend. The investments I'm making now will bring even more returns.""Still feel uneasy about it? Now that you understand how I 'spend money,' what do you think?" Landon asked casually, not wanting Emma to feel any burden.Emma nodded. "I have one thought... I’m definitely not cut out for the business world."Landon paused, then heard Emma let out a heavy sigh. "It’s giving me a headache. I can't make sense of it at all."Landon could not help but laugh. "Emma, how can you be so adorable?"Emma did not get Landon's train of thought. "How can you find me cute when I’m being this
Landon shook his head honestly. "I like you just the way you are—speaking your mind."Emma could not help but grin. At first, she tried to hold it in, pressing her lips together, but eventually, she burst out laughing.Seeing her laugh made Landon even happier, and he joined in.After chatting for a while, Landon noticed it was getting late. He gently suggested she get some rest.That night, Emma went to bed with a smile still on her lips. She was genuinely happy.When in a good mood, everything seemed easier. The next day, she arrived on set with her energy through the roof.During her scene with Sydney, they nailed it in just one take—something Emma had never managed before."Great job, Emma," Damien praised her generously.Emma blushed with pride. "It’s all thanks to Sydney. She really helped me get into character."Overhearing Emma’s comment, Sydney began to understand why Damien liked her so much.Emma had backing, that much was clear. Yet, she always kept a humble att
Landon took Emma's hand as they walked toward the parking lot, which Emma accepted much better than the hug from earlier.Noticing how at ease Emma seemed, Landon could not help but chuckle to himself. He knew the art of negotiation well. First, propose something the other party might reject, then step back slightly to achieve the real goal. It was a tactic he had mastered. Especially on Emma, who was straightforward and without any hidden agenda. Though it made him feel a bit guilty, as if he was winning too easily. Still, when it came to winning over his wife, using a few tricks seemed justifiable.Once they got home, Landon suggested Emma rest. She was indeed exhausted. Without even unpacking, she washed up and went straight to bed.When she woke up, it was already dark outside. As soon as she opened the door, the delicious aroma of food hit her. Dinner was ready."Mommy!" Asher came running up and clung to his mother’s leg, looking up at her with an adoring gaze. He
Since there were three of them, Landon could not possibly carry three bowls of food on his own. This time, Landon did not protest as Emma followed him into the kitchen. After Landon served the food, Emma carried two bowls to the table while Landon brought the last one.The family of three sat down for dinner.As they ate, Emma asked about how Landon and Asher had been doing while she was away. The conversation was light and filled with everyday topics. If someone had walked in, they would never have guessed that Landon was the head of a massive corporation.The father and son continuously praised each other. One talked about how his dad picked him up every day and played games with him, while the other proudly mentioned how many poems Asher had memorized and new words he had learned. Both wore smiles, radiating happiness, and it made Emma’s heart ache in the best way possible.She could not believe it. This was the family she had always dreamed of. A home where everyone s
Landon was speaking with genuine sincerity. Emma chuckled and asked, “You don't talk about everyday things? If you can discuss big topics, like investment and economic trends, can't you talk about those?”Landon looked at Emma with a mix of amusement and exasperation. “Emma, we talk about that stuff at work, and even during meals. Do you think we're just relaxing while eating or having a meeting?”“That sounds like a recipe for indigestion.”Emma's mind suddenly pictured a scene: a family discussing complex economic jargon while shoveling food into their mouths. It was… rather amusing.Seeing Emma burst into a giggle, Landon knew exactly what she was imagining. “You think that scene would be quite a sight, don’t you?”“Definitely.” Emma nodded with a smile.Asher tilted his head, looking at both his parents, and raised his tiny hand to ask, “Mommy, Daddy, what are you talking about?”He did not understand a word.Emma smiled and ruffled his hair. “Daddy likes to talk while we
Emma froze for a moment. Brett continued, "You used to seem optimistic, but you were really just lost. It was like life kept pushing you forward, and you had no choice but to keep moving."Emma leaned back in her chair, absorbing Brett’s words. She stayed silent for a while.Brett did not press her, either. Instead, she sipped on her juice, patiently waiting.The server entered the private dining room and set their food on the table. "Enjoy.""Thanks," Brett said with a smile as the server left and gently closed the door behind them.Emma let out a long sigh. "Brett, you're right."I’ve only now started to see my goals clearly. I know which direction I should be working towards." Emma reflected on her current state and realized there were so many things she had not noticed before."When I first had Asher, all I could think about was making more money and raising him. It was like I was on autopilot, just making money to get by."Now, our home life is stable. Ash is in preschoo
Given Emma's situation, she could easily live a comfortable life just by relying on Landon. There was really no need for her to work so hard.Especially in class, where, as a complete beginner, she inevitably faced criticism from the impatient instructor. Most people in her position would have been frustrated by now. Not Emma, though. She maintained a positive attitude throughout.The key thing Kingsley noticed was that Emma clearly put in hours of practice at home. By the next day, her progress was obvious. It gave him the impression that she was approaching her studies with the same intensity as someone preparing for a major exam.As Kingsley stood outside the classroom, lost in thought, Emma’s class had just ended."Thank you, Professor." Emma held the door open for the instructor as they left.Kingsley nodded politely at the teacher, then turned his attention to Emma."Kingsley, is there something you need from me?" Emma asked, a bit curious. Over time, she had come t
It was not that newcomers did not have opportunities for auditions; It was just that chances to audition for high-quality productions were rare. Established crews, like the one Damien was part of, preferred to work with people they had collaborated with before. So, the fact that Kingsley managed to secure an audition for Emma was no small feat.Kingsley sent the audition script directly to Emma. After skimming through it, Emma furrowed her brows. "So, it's a warrior's daughter, huh?""Yep," Kingsley nodded. "You should give it a shot."Emma glanced at the script again and said, "Alright. Kingsley, could you arrange a stunt coordinator for me?"If I'm going to play a warrior's daughter, I at least need to look the part when wielding a sword."Kingsley chuckled. "There aren't many scenes where you'll actually need to use a sword.""I know, but still, I need to look the part," Emma insisted.Her serious expression made Kingsley smile. "I’ve already arranged it. You can start yo
“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.