Penny looked at Emma in confusion.Emma smiled, her satisfaction simple and sincere. With everything in her life going smoothly, she felt incredibly happy.“You’ll be learning horseback riding soon. You have to be careful when you do,” Penny said, still puzzled by Emma’s contentment but dutifully reminding her of her upcoming activity.At the equestrian center, Emma threw herself into learning with dedication. Her effort was recognized and praised. More importantly, her horse seemed to take a liking to her, and Emma managed to forge a bond with the animal during her training sessions.Excited, she took several selfies to share with Asher when she got home. She imagined how thrilled he would be to see such a grand horse.After a few days of training, Emma received another notice. “Another audition?”“Yes,” Penny confirmed, quickly gathering their things and leading Emma out.“Can there be a second audition?” Emma was puzzled. The role she auditioned for had minimal screen time, a
"Don’t rush," the agent reassured Ellen. "I’ve been trying to find you opportunities. You—""I just don’t understand," Ellen interrupted. "There are so many agents in the company. It’s not just those who manage top stars. Even those like you, who handle newcomers, manage to find so many roles for their artists. Why can’t you do the same for me? How are you handling things?"The agent was momentarily taken aback. "But, Ellen, the others who land roles often don’t do so legitimately. If you take shortcuts now, it won’t be good for you in the long run.""I’ve never taken shortcuts, I’ve listened to you. What benefits have I gained?" Ellen asked incredulously."I…" The agent began to respond, but the crew member from the production team interrupted them. "The director is ready for you.""Alright, thanks," the agent said quickly, forcing a smile as she led Ellen into the room.The director looked at Ellen and Emma, a hint of frustration in his voice. "Your acting styles are quite diff
Just how charming was Landon’s wife?The office staff could only speculate, especially after seeing Landon's reaction when he received a message from her. He grinned widely, a sight so exaggerated it seemed like a display of pure joy.Emma, unaware of the office buzz, waited outside her classroom. From a distance, she saw Landon’s car approaching. As it stopped in front of her, she opened the door and climbed in.“Hi, Asher!” Emma greeted her son warmly.Asher beamed with excitement. “Mommy, I got first place in my poetry recitation today and got a red flower sticker!”“Oh, that’s amazing, Asher!” Emma exclaimed, her pride evident. “You’re so awesome!“Mommy did something great today too! I got the role I auditioned for. So, we’re going out for a special dinner to celebrate,” Emma announced with equal enthusiasm.Asher clapped his hands in delight.Landon, observing the joyful exchange between mother and son, smiled and drove them to the restaurant. He had already reserved a pr
Emma carefully observed the area and confirmed that there was no one around. She felt a surge of anxiety and quickly stepped outside, scanning for any sign of Landon. She worried that someone from the Stirling family might be plotting against him. If that were the case, they would likely choose a secluded alley without surveillance. Emma looked around for surveillance blind spots and quickly identified a potential area. She hurried over, trying to stay as quiet as possible to avoid alarming anyone who might be a threat to Landon.As she approached the blind spot, she heard Landon’s muffled groans. Without a second thought, Emma lifted a loose brick and charged toward the source of the sound. She raised the brick high, ready to strike, but then froze in surprise.It was Landon standing there, looking at her with astonished eyes. The person curled up on the ground clutching his stomach was someone else entirely.“Are you okay?” Emma asked, her voice filled with concern.Landon lowe
“Alright, let’s go this way,” Landon said as he guided Emma in a different direction.When they arrived at their destination, Landon took the brick from Emma’s hands and carefully put it back in place. He treated the task with the seriousness it deserved, as it symbolized Emma’s affection for him.Emma watched in confusion as Landon meticulously reinstalled the brick, even taking out a tissue to clean it. She was baffled by his intensity.As Landon stood up, he saw Emma’s puzzled gaze and smiled. It was Emma’s concern and willingness to help, despite the danger, that truly mattered to him, not the brick itself.“Well, should we go to the hospital and get checked?” Emma suggested gently.Landon laughed, “I’m not hurt. I was the one doing the hitting.”“But what if you were hurt without realizing it? Like a head injury?” Emma argued, believing that avoiding medical checks was unwise.Landon was taken aback. “Emma, where do you get the idea that I might be injured?”Emma glanced
After what just happened, it made sense that the little guy would be scared and worried. Emma knew she had to show him through her actions that everything was fine now—that she was back and everyone was safe. That way, Asher would not be left with any emotional scars.As expected, on the drive back, Emma kept talking to Asher. Before long, he returned to his usual cheerful self, as if nothing had happened. Once they got home, Emma took Asher to play before getting him washed up and settled down for some rest.Meanwhile, Landon was busy making a couple of phone calls to handle the lingering issues. How could those people let trouble get so close to him? What were they even doing?Emma did not bother asking Landon about how he was going to deal with things. That was not her area of expertise, and it would not make any difference even if she asked. Besides, she believed it was better not to know the specifics if Landon had not told her himself.Landon always appeared mature and cons
“We need to make visits and pay our respects,” Landon explained. “In the business world, Christmas is the time to reconnect with people and strengthen relationships.”“Do you need to go?” Emma asked.Landon shook his head. “No, it's not necessary. My reputation isn't great right now, and everyone knows I have a cold and ruthless side. So usually, a simple phone call to wish them a Merry Christmas is enough. As for gifts and such, I have people who handle that for me.”Emma frowned, clearly upset. “They’ve treated you so badly. What’s wrong with you fighting back? How does that make you cold and ruthless?“Letting them walk all over you would be truly foolish!”Seeing Emma stand up for him like that, Landon could not help but reach out and pinch her cheek.Emma gasped, covering her face with her hands and staring at Landon in shock.“Sorry, I couldn't resist,” Landon said apologetically. Although he sounded apologetic, he did not regret it. He just found Emma too adorable to re
Before Emma could say anything, little Asher held up his tiny hand and stopped Landon. "Daddy, we shouldn’t get too much," he said.“Eating too much candy will give us cavities,” Asher reasoned, speaking with all seriousness. “We should buy more after we finish these. If we buy too many, they might expire, and the candy will go bad.”Landon could not help but smile at the little guy, who was so earnest in his logic. He just adored Asher to bits. “Ash, you’re so smart. Okay, I won’t take too much. How about we just get a few, and you can pick it out?“You can pick while I hold the bag,” Landon suggested with a grin, letting his son do the choosing.Asher did not hold back. Carefully, he picked out the flavors he and his mom liked. Then, he asked Landon what flavors he preferred and added a bit of those as well.Landon looked at the candy in the bag. It was only about half a pound, so he glanced at Emma, silently asking if that was enough.Emma smiled and nodded. However much A
“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.