"Apologize!" Martin reiterated, his tone unquestionable. Only then did he slowly release his grip on her.Bella felt wronged. She had been Emma's college roommate and had pretended to befriend her while secretly undermining her. However, even with such efforts, Emma was still well-liked during their university days. After their graduation, Bella achieved her desire to marry Martin, succeeded in her career, and surpassed Emma in various aspects. Why should she apologize to Emma now?Martin remained silent as he stared at Bella. Bella understood that if she did not apologize, he would be very angry, and it might even escalate to involve her father.Bella spoke softly, making it difficult for anyone to hear her apology. Landon did not need to intervene as Martin forcefully pushed her and scolded loudly, "Speak up!"Bella's eyes turned red immediately. She glared at Emma with a mixture of pain and anger. "I'm sorry, okay? It's all my fault. I made it up! Happy now?" Her face ha
Martin was relieved that he had parked his car far enough to avoid encounters with other parents in the parking lot. When he reached his car, he was not surprised to see Bella sitting inside, looking angry. He opened the car door and let his daughter in. Sensing the tense atmosphere, his daughter, Isabelle, climbed into the car and sat obediently.After closing the door, as he was about to open the driver's side, Bella, noticing he had no intention of consoling her, got out of the car in a hurry. She forcefully slammed the driver's side door and angrily asked, "What do you mean by this?"You see Emma and get scared, right? Do you still have feelings for her? If you like her so much, why didn't you marry her in the first place? Go be a father to that illegitimate child then!" Bella was furious, her frustration almost reaching its boiling point."I don't want to argue with you," Martin glanced at Isabelle inside the car, "you're scaring Isabelle.""Do you even remember that you hav
Emma was not inclined to dwell on Bella's affairs. She was preoccupied with thoughts of Asher. Upon returning home, she had Asher head to their room before she approached Landon. He had arrived earlier."Landon, if we decide to change Ash's kindergarten, can we get a refund on the tuition fees? He only attended for one day."Landon focused on Emma and asked, "Why would you want to change his kindergarten? Isn’t Ash happy there?""Of course, he is happy. But, when it's time to leave school...it might affect Ash," Emma did not explicitly state it, but she believed Landon understood her intentions.The anger in Landon's heart suddenly flared up, and he raised his voice, startling Emma, who looked at him in confusion, unsure why he was getting upset."Who apologized at the kindergarten gate?" Landon stared at Emma's bewildered expression, and his frustration escalated. "It was Bella, but... rumors spread quickly, and I don't want Ash to be hurt by those things," Emma explained, still
Emma's response made Landon deeply furrow his brows. "Can't you be more assertive?""Assertive?" Emma looked at Landon in confusion."Before Ash rushed out, you should have confronted that despicable Bella!" Landon said in a cold tone. He had been sitting in the car, feeling utterly frustrated. She was skilled in strategic retreats and manipulation so why did she appear so weak when facing Bella?"Do you know how much harm it causes to a child seeing you like that?" Landon used to think Emma was a good mother, but today he realized she fell short of that."What do you mean?" Emma's eyes gradually lost their sparkle, shrouded in a thick layer of gloom. She stared at Landon and asked, "Are you suggesting I did something wrong?"I should have given Bella a couple of slaps when she was picking a fight. I should have beaten her half to death so she wouldn't utter a single word again, is that what you're saying?" Emma's voice turned cold.Landon's anger flared up again. Emma had endu
Emma's eyes were bright and piercing. Landon felt uneasy under her gaze. He was accustomed to various intrigues and could not comprehend someone willingly giving up their rights. Suddenly, he realized that his initial suspicions about Emma were a kind of blasphemy against her.Even in the embarrassing situation at the kindergarten gate, she did not think of seeking his help. Why did he doubt the Emma he once knew, thinking she was manipulating him?Emma knew that he had the influence to ensure that Ash attended Little Sunshine Academy. Just mentioning Landon’s name, would have silenced Bella. Yet, she chose not to.It was astonishing to discover someone who would easily forgo leveraging connections and solely rely on their abilities to solve problems. She was tenacious.Landon felt a tightness in his chest. "In this one year, you could have relied on my support to grow and create a shelter for Ash."Emma suddenly laughed. "You're a good man, Landon."Landon was unfamiliar with su
Landon had never engaged in such a candid conversation with anyone before. More accurately, no one had presented their thoughts so openly in front of him. Her desired benefits, concerns, and worries... truly intrigued Landon. For him, this was an unprecedented experience."You are quite candid," Landon chuckled, "I haven't seen someone like you in my usual circles."Emma, however, did not see it as anything special. "I'm not a particularly clever person. Instead of playing those out-of-date games, it's better to live simply. At least, I'm not exhausted."Landon nodded approvingly, "That's true."At least, for him and the people he knew, they had never lived so authentically. Who did not wear different masks and speak different words when faced with others?"For a year, I can shelter you and Asher. During that time, you can try to grow. When the term is up, it will only bring benefits to you," Landon said frankly. He had made a clear commitment to her."Okay," Emma nodded.After
Everything was fine on Emma’s end, but Martin was not as fortunate. He was worried about what Emma’s husband might do. Since Emma left school, she had lost contact with her former classmates, and he could not get any current information about her. He planned to quietly ask around when he took Isabelle to transfer her to another kindergarten the next day.However, the results were disappointing. The kindergarten staff did not reveal any information to him. Disheartened, Martin left without attempting to contact Emma directly. He knew Emma's husband was not someone to be trifled with, and approaching Emma might only complicate matters further.Martin could only hope and pray that Emma's husband would not cause any trouble. On the day of the kindergarten dismissal, Asher stood at the classroom door, peering outside. He could not see his mother's electric bike. Pouting, he thought his mom was late, but he knew she would come soon."Alright, children, hold hands, and let's go out t
"There’s a child crying," Emma said distractedly. It was coming from inside the kindergarten. The worrying part was that it was not just one or two children crying. What could be happening?Emma's heart tightened instantly, and other parents also heard it and rushed worriedly towards the kindergarten gate."Whose child is crying?""What's going on?""Why is the crying so heartbreaking?"The security guard, frightened, quickly came to intercept the parents. "Don't worry. Our teachers will handle it. Please wait for a moment.""Open the door and let us in!""My child is crying!""What's going on? Why are they crying?"Concerned about their children, the parents had lost all their patience. Those in the back were pushing forward, and those in the front were pounding on the gate.Teachers from the kindergarten hurriedly came out, anxiously trying to calm them. "It's okay, it's okay. The children are fine.""Listen, the children have stopped crying," the teacher finally managed
“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.