Since her character came from a family with a military background, there were scenes involving fights and horseback riding, which were especially exhausting. Emma was incredibly grateful that she had practiced in advance. Even so, she barely managed to pull it off. If she had not prepared, those horseback scenes would have been even more difficult.“Emma, how about we grab a late-night bite?” Sabrina Waters invited with a smile.After the harsh scolding from the director earlier, if Emma had not stepped in to smooth things over, Sabrina would have been mortified.“Sure,” Emma agreed. “Is there a good place nearby?”“Oh, I know a great spot for pizza!” Sabrina's eyes lit up at the mention of food.Emma whispered, “Do they have skewers too? Pizza and grilled skewers are a perfect combo!”“Yes, yes, yes! There’s a skewer place right next to the pizza shop. We can get the skewers and then head over for pizza. Their grilled corn is amazing. You have to try them, or you’ll regret i
Emma smiled and said, "Thanks. I’ll be careful."From the meal they just had, Sabrina could tell that Emma was not someone who played games. Sabrina had been in the industry for a few years now. Although she mostly played supporting roles, she had her own fan base. She had seen enough backstage drama to recognize that someone like Emma was very vulnerable to being manipulated."Make sure you talk to your agent," Sabrina advised. "Ellen’s team is not to be underestimated. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be able to get their people into the cast."Sabrina knew a bit about how the casting process worked and understood that Ellen’s current role was originally not intended for her."Thank you," Emma said sincerely. She had not expected Sabrina to be so forthcoming."Don’t mention it," Sabrina laughed heartily. "If it weren’t for you, I’d have really been in a tight spot."She had been genuinely embarrassed at the time.Emma did not add any more pleasantries and followed Sabrina back to th
Ellen thought she had found a solid backer, but in reality, she was just a plaything that could be discarded at any moment. Gritting her teeth, she lowered her head and said, “I’ll go apologize to the director right away.”“That’s the right attitude,” Holly said with a sigh. “You’ve got a chance now, so take it. Grab every opportunity and make the most of it.“If you wait until resources dry up, you won’t be able to walk away even if you want to.” Holly’s words made Ellen shiver. She had thought her sacrifices would provide her with strong support. Now she realized how naïve she had been. In truth, she did not have the solid footing she had imagined.Ellen went to apologize to the director.Meanwhile, Emma was unaware of this. When she returned to the hotel, she ran into Ellen in the hallway and was surprised to see that Ellen looked at her as if she were a bitter enemy.What had she done?Emma stood still in the hallway, feeling as though Ellen might snap at any moment.
Kingsley barely glanced at Ellen before turning his attention back to Ricky, chatting and laughing. He did not see any reason to waste energy on someone like her. He had dealt with plenty of people beneath his notice before. Instead of working on her acting skills, she seemed to be looking for shortcuts.Emma watched the exchange, wide-eyed, and nudged Penny. “Is Kingsley really that impressive?”Penny looked at her, unimpressed. “What do you think?”With a tone of admiration, Penny added, “Kingsley’s had so many Oscar winners under his wing. Any artist he manages is bound to succeed.”Kingsley was a legend in their circle.“That’s because my husband is amazing.” Emma beamed with pride.“Oh?”Emma lifted her chin with a smug smile. “If someone like Kingsley is willing to be my manager, it just shows how capable my husband is. After all, Kingsley doesn’t seem like someone swayed by money.”“True, but I suspect you’re showing off.”“I am!” Emma grinned and winked.Penny only
Kingsley chuckled. “She’s just a hanger-on, twisted and jealous of Emma.”Landon replied, “In the future, make sure Emma’s work schedule avoids her.”“I know,” Kingsley said with a smile. “You don’t need to tell me; I would do that anyway. It’s better to stay away from people with impure motives.”“No,” Landon clarified, “I mean, make sure Ellen avoids Emma.”Kingsley was momentarily confused. “You want me to make Ellen avoid Emma? How can I even do that? I don’t have any direct connection with her.”Wait a minute!Kingsley suddenly realized what Landon was implying and was at a loss for words. Fortunately, Landon did not need him to say anything and continued, “If Ellen is on a set, have them replace her with another actress. Stirling Group will invest more.”“As expected, money talks,” Kingsley muttered.Landon chuckled. “Actually, I’m thinking of starting an entertainment company just to manage Emma.”Kingsley was speechless. Seriously? This guy was flaunting his wealth.
"I have been dieting!" Sabrina cried out in a low, aggrieved voice. "I've been weighing myself every day, and I’ve controlled it!"How could anyone doubt her professionalism?"Every day, after filming, I worked out without fail, even though it's exhausting, and you still criticize me? How unlucky," Sabrina said as she looked pitifully at Camilla."Can't you just stop going out to eat?" Camilla asked exasperatedly."Then I may as well not live anymore!" Sabrina replied dramatically. "Besides, Emma eats out every day too."Camilla felt like slapping her. "How many scenes does Emma have compared to you?"She can leave after filming her scenes, but you have to keep shooting yours."So stop going out to eat with her all the time!" Camilla was furious. "She only cares about herself and doesn't think about you at all."Such tactics were common in the industry. A celebrity would deliberately drag others into bad habits, only to secretly work harder and climb higher themselves. Ca
Kingsley had assured her that she would not encounter Ellen again, so she believed it would be true.Instead of heading straight home, Emma stopped by a few shops to pick up various local delicacies. When buying local products, she preferred humbler shops over large malls. The taste was authentic, and the prices were reasonable.“No need for gift boxes, just pass them to me as is,” Emma said decisively.Penny, arms full of bags, helped load everything into the car and asked with some exasperation, “Did you really need to buy so much?”“Of course,” Emma replied with a smile. “These are for my family, and the rest are for Kingsley and our team.”Penny paused, surprised that Emma’s team had been included.Emma smiled at Penny’s reaction, “We’re all like family, so there’s no need for fancy gift boxes. The money spent on packaging could be better used to buy more food.”Penny sighed, “You really know how to be practical.”It was surprising, given that Emma’s husband was the head
After dinner, Emma spent some time with Asher. Since she had not been home for a while, Asher clung tightly to her all evening. Even after he fell asleep, his small, soft hand still grasped her finger.Emma felt her heart swell with love. Although they often chatted during their video calls, it could not measure up to spending time with him in person. Emma smiled as she watched him sleep, his lips and fingers twitching slightly.Asher brought her indescribable joy.Once Asher was sound asleep, Emma quietly left his room and returned to her own to rest.The next day, Emma had arranged to meet Brett for lunch. When she arrived at the private dining room, Brett greeted her with a smile. “Let me have a look at you. Gosh, your whole aura has changed!“Ever since you started acting, you seem more energized.”Emma burst into laughter. “What? Was I always moping around before?”“Not exactly,” Brett replied honestly, “but you used to seem... a bit timid, like you were holding back.
“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.