“You're overthinking this. We're all family, why would we look down on you?” Bronson spoke to her gently, but based on his past actions, it made Emma nauseous with his hypocrisy.Bronson paid no attention to her reaction and continued with his barrage of questions. “Can you afford the expenses if Asher attends Little Sunshine Academy? Or are you using your husband's money?” Bronson shook his head disapprovingly. “Emma, you married into another family with a child from another father. It's already good enough that they're willing to support you and Asher. Do you want them to shell out even more for his education? People aren't fools. You're taking advantage of your husband, aren't you?”“I'm willing.” The abrupt statement surprised Emma. When she turned around, she saw Landon sitting in the car with the window open.Emma had not noticed that Landon had parked his car not far from her.However, Bronson had seen it all. His words were meant for Landon.He had seen Emma's husband
Emma was not familiar with brand names and she did not care for them. However, from Bronson's expression, she could tell that the items were undoubtedly quite expensive.Emma smiled and ‘humbly’ inquired, "Uncle Bronson, do you see anything lacking in what my husband bought? Please enlighten us."We don't have experience in such matters. We’d like to hear what you have to say about it," Emma deliberately taunted him. She wanted to provoke him.Bronson's face changed a few times, then he sneered and said, "These things cost a lot of money. The expenses for Asher's kindergarten fees, plus these items... What a burden."Bronson glanced at the Bentley that Landon drove and said, "Your husband makes good money.""It's not about how much he earns. The key is that he's willing to spend it on me and Asher," Emma said as she raised her head proudly.Then she turned to Landon, "Why did you buy these without discussing it with me?"Landon chuckled, playing along, "Oh it’s no big deal, do
"I just don't know what kind of person he is. It's up to us to look out for Emma. Alright, I'll contact them and invite them over for dinner."Bronson achieved his goal and then hung up the phone. Putting the phone back in his pocket, he pondered the idea of probing into Emma's husband's background. If Landon truly had capabilities and connections, Bronson knew that he could leverage the relationship to make things more convenient for him in the future.Emma was not aware of Bronson's intentions. She was absentmindedly riding her electric bike. Bronson had left, and she was heading back home with Landon, but since she was on her bike, Landon could not accompany her.She gestured for him to go ahead and drive back first while she took her time to return home. She needed the time and space to sort out her thoughts.As it was not peak traffic time, Landon arrived home first. When Emma got home, she saw a pile of things in the living room – backpacks, notebooks, pencil cases, water
“I like them.” Asher felt that just saying it did not fully express how he felt. He raised his arms and moved them as far apart as he could. "I really, really like them!"Landon was amused, "I’m glad you do. Come on, Ash, let's see what you’ve got.""Okay," Asher said as he happily approached Landon. He flipped through the pile of things with Landon while chatting and laughing.Emma stared at them for a while, said nothing, and went to the kitchen to prepare dinner.After finishing dinner that night, when Emma saw Asher return to the suite, she thanked Landon, "Thank you for everything you’ve done for Asher."Landon was in an extremely good mood. He was smiling from ear to ear. Asher had already become so attached to the things Landon had bought for him. Landon had savored the joy he felt when he watched Asher’s excited reaction. Unfortunately, Emma ruined the moment for him."How much were those things? I'll transfer the money to you." Emma mentally calculated the money in
Landon stared at the closed door of the suite, and his vexed emotions kept accumulating. Just when he was about to reach his limit, the door to the suite suddenly opened, and Emma walked out. She calmly closed the door behind her, approached as if nothing had happened, and apologized, "I'm sorry, Mr. Landon. I got a bit emotional earlier."I felt like you had given us too much, and I felt unworthy of it. I overreacted just now, and I shouldn't have lost my temper." She had figured it out inside the room.Landon was her ‘employer’ now, paying her a monthly living allowance of ten thousand dollars.He would be her boss for a year. What was wrong with a boss having emotions? Shouldn't employees endure a bit of scolding from their employees? Moreover, it was Landon spending money on Asher. Why was she being so sensitive?Landon stared at Emma fixedly. Although she had apologized, he felt uncomfortable. The source of his discomfort seemed different from a moment ago. He could no
Emma returned to her suite, played with Asher for a while, bathed him, and put him to sleep before heading to work. Emma was not someone who dwelled on things, especially since it was her failure to establish the right perspective with Landon. Why should she feel bad?After a busy night, she rushed home in time to prepare breakfast, she changed her clothes and began cooking."Having pastries today?" Landon's voice echoed from the kitchen doorway."Yes. What would you like to drink, Mr. Landon? Egg soup, milk, or soy milk?""Egg soup," Landon replied, then corrected her, "Don't address me like that. We’d be easily exposed."Emma promptly corrected herself, "Alright, Landon."She would unquestionably meet the boss's requirements."Mommy..." Asher called out and he walked out of the suite."Oh..." Emma put down what she was holding, turned around, and went out, "Are you awake, Ash? Sit here for a while. We'll be ready to eat soon.""Mommy's hands are oily so I can’t hold you no
"Indeed," Emma admitted without hesitation."You've got some nerve!" Barbara's voice suddenly escalated as she launched into a tirade. "You even blocked my calls. I raised you and this is how you treat me?"You, ungrateful child! Aren't you afraid of divine retribution for your sins?" Barbara's insults flowed freely. Emma had long grown accustomed to such venomous words and responded matter-of-factly, "It doesn’t bother me. I'm hanging up now.""This weekend we're having a family gathering at your grandma's house so you need to be there," Barbara told her. "Bring your husband too so that everyone can meet him. You're married now. Don't let others gossip about you. Bring Asher along too.""I won't be going," Emma bluntly refused."You..." Barbara became agitated. "Don't you dare! This is a great opportunity to save your reputation."Emma chuckled coldly, ignoring the sting in her heart. "I don't need anyone’s validation. Asher is fine without it, and so am I!"Emma ended the
He had seen such tactics used before. It was quite amusing. He, a seasoned predator, unexpectedly got pecked by a goose.Calvin watched as Landon's expression suddenly turned sour, and he nervously asked, "What's wrong?" Just a moment ago, Landon had praised the team for completing the project so well. So why the sudden change?"Nothing," Landon sighed, "just thinking about some things." Suddenly Landon burst into laughter. He pointed at himself and asked, "Do I look like a fool to you?"Calvin’s eyes widened and he looked at Landon in astonishment. "Who's the brave soul that thinks so?" Back then, some people dared to bully Landon because of his age, especially after Landon's parents suddenly passed away. Still, Landon single-handedly kept the Stirling Group afloat.At the time, outsiders thought the Stirling Group would fall into chaos. Many were eyeing the opportunity to own a share in Stirling Group. The result was that not only were their efforts successfully repelled, b
“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.