Emma got up and freshened herself up, wanting to look good because Asher would be home soon. However, when she opened the door and stepped outside, she noticed that everything in the dining room was ready.The barbeque was set up, and all the ingredients had been washed and laid out. As soon as Asher got home, they could dive right into dinner.Emma smiled to herself and headed into the kitchen to check the fridge. Sure enough, the beef was there. She did not take it out right away, though, because it would thaw too quickly.Besides the beef, she also saw fresh cuts of pork and lamb on the table.Just then, she heard the door open, and before she could step out, she heard her son’s excited voice calling, “Mommy!”“Hey, Ash!” Emma laughed as she rushed over, scooping the little guy into her arms.“Mommy, I missed you so much!” Seeing his mother, Asher’s eyes watered as he nuzzled his chubby little face against hers.“I missed you too, sweetheart,” Emma replied with a warm smile
“Ash, be good, and wait for me at home,” Emma smiled as she pulled the little guy into her arms and planted a kiss on his forehead."I’m back from work now. How about I wait for you to come home from school tomorrow?" she asked with a grin."Okay!" Asher raised his hand excitedly, eager to agree."Here you go, Ash. Try some beef," Landon said while serving Asher.Asher had been waiting for his mother to come home for what felt like forever, and now he was beyond happy. He chattered away while eating, telling his mother everything that had happened recently. He could not wait to share the news of him earning a bunch of gold stars at school with her.The family spent over an hour enjoying their dinner, talking and laughing the whole time. Afterward, they cleaned up the table and left everything in the kitchen, knowing the housekeeper would handle the rest tomorrow."Come here, Ash. Look what I brought back for you," Emma called, motioning for the little guy to check out his gifts
“Yes!” Little Asher shouted enthusiastically, “Mommy loves us so much!”His confidence in saying that made Emma smile.Look at her child speaking with such confidence and pride. It was all because she had given him so much love ever since he was little. That was why he was so sure he was loved.Landon opened the package and found a hand-crafted local clutch inside.“Mommy, what’s this?” Asher asked curiously.“It’s a clutch, a bag you hold in your hand,” Emma explained. “When Daddy goes out, he can put a few things inside.”“Oh! I get it now. It’s just like my backpack! I carry mine on my back, and Daddy holds his in his hand.” Asher, quick as ever, immediately understood.“That’s right.” Emma nodded with a smile. “You’ve got it, Ash.”“But Mommy, I have so many presents, and Daddy only has one. Won’t he feel sad?” Asher pouted, clearly concerned about his dad. “Daddy, Mommy loves you too. It’s the thought that counts, not the number of gifts.”Landon chuckled at Asher’s sweet
“Of course, it’s because I have a talent for it too,” Landon boasted with a grin.Emma shook her head. “This isn't about talent.”Landon raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Then what is it?”“Well, it's obvious. You're a good guy, and you love Ash,” Emma teased, playfully poking his arm.Landon chuckled and stretched out his long arms, pulling Emma into his embrace. “I mostly just love you. The thing is, once I fell for you, Ash and I just clicked.”Landon admitted, “I never really liked kids before, but Ash is different. Ash is incredibly well-behaved and understanding.” He did not mean the kind of well-behaved that came from being overly disciplined. No, he meant it in a way that Asher had a true, mature understanding of things.“You’ve done such an amazing job raising Ash, Emma. I couldn’t have a reason not to like him,” Landon said gratefully. “Honestly, Emma, not only do you captivate me, but you’ve also got Ash as your secret weapon. Tell me, how could you not win me over?”Emma gav
He never realized just how agonizing it could be to miss someone. Luckily, Emma was back now.The next morning, after Emma had washed up and eaten breakfast, she and Landon took Asher to preschool together. The little guy was beyond excited today that both his parents were dropping him off.At the preschool entrance, Asher happily waved them goodbye. “Bye, Mom! Bye, Dad! I’m going in now.”“Alright, Ash! See you later. We’ll pick you up after school.” Emma smiled, waving back as she watched his little legs hurry toward the front gate.The funniest part was when he reached the teacher and proudly announced, “Miss, both my mommy and daddy brought me to school today!”“Wow, how wonderful!” The teacher beamed. “Ash, you're so lucky!”“I know! I’m really lucky!” Asher nodded enthusiastically, his little head held high, clearly pleased with himself."Alright, off to class now." The teacher chuckled."Okay! Bye!" Asher chirped, his tiny legs carrying him off toward his classroom.Emm
"Emma, you're really dedicated to your work," Brett sighed, clearly impressed.Emma’s first instinct was not to worry about her own condition, but rather how the final scenes of the shoot would turn out.Emma chuckled at Brett’s comment. "Sweetheart, this is my job. Of course, I’m going to be dedicated. If I take someone's money and don’t deliver, that’d be pretty dishonest of me, wouldn’t it?"Brett shook her head in mild exasperation. "You’d be surprised how many people take the money and half-ass it.""Well, I don't think those kinds of people last very long," Emma said with certainty. "Even if someone’s like that, I’m sure they would want to work with professionals who take their jobs seriously."No one likes being shortchanged. If you spend the money, you expect to get what you paid for. Nobody's stupid. Sure, you might get away with cutting corners for a while, but in the long run, it’s going to come back and bite you in the back."Brett sighed heavily. "Emma, do you know w
“And you’d give away all the good stuff you saved for yourself,” Emma said with a slight frown and her lips pressed together.Brett's heart ached as she listened. “Emma, you don’t have to be so frugal anymore. You can enjoy the things you deserve.”Emma chuckled softly. “Brett, I’m okay now. I’ve come to terms with everything.“I do deserve to enjoy the good things within my means. I can buy clothes I like, eat food I enjoy, go to the movies, and visit theme parks. When I go out, I don’t have to go home hungry because I refuse to eat out.“I’ve slowly started to understand what kind of person my mom is too. She likes playing the martyr, putting herself in this role of making great sacrifices for others.“Look at her, so virtuous and selfless, doing it all for the family and everyone but expected them to notice her.”Emma chuckled. “It’s because my grandparents didn’t really care about her growing up. She was never valued in her own home. She had a twisted personality, and she pus
"They'll never get to see this side of me. I only act this way with my wife," Landon said with zero embarrassment, looking rather proud of himself.Emma rolled her eyes, giving him a light smack on the arm. "Come on, let’s go pick Ash up."If she let him continue talking, they would definitely run late. He just never knew when to stop.Landon chuckled and waited until Emma had fastened her seatbelt before starting the car.After a week of training at home, Emma was suddenly summoned to Kingsley’s office.“A birthday party?”"Yeah." Kingsley nodded. "It’s a party for one of the industry’s legendary actresses. Only the biggest names in entertainment will be there."Emma frowned. "But I'm still pretty new to all this."“You’ve starred in a few films. You’re not a total rookie anymore,” Kingsley replied. "Besides, don’t be so modest. Your roles may not have been huge, but the feedback has been solid."All the directors you’ve worked with have said they’ll look for you for more rol
“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.