Landon was stunned. What had he lied to her about?"Men who willingly act as a support for the ladies beside them are well-mannered and cultured," Emma laughed proudly as she looked at Landon triumphantly as if she could see right through him. "Not all men are like that.""So, you must be a good person," Emma concluded.Landon burst into laughter. A good person? Someone who could not even tolerate his own family, and thus disregarded such ties? Or someone who showed no mercy in the business arena, cutting down competitors without hesitation? Emma's judgment of his character was truly questionable. However, he found her evaluation surprisingly satisfying."Well, okay, I am a good person," Landon's lips curled up in a charming smile. "So, Miss Emma, would you take my arm?""Sure!" Emma said enthusiastically. As soon as the words left her mouth, she hesitated for a moment, as she nervously glanced at Landon. Had she spoken childishly? He was so sophisticated…Would he look down on h
"Where does your husband work, Emma?" Celine asked bravely, believing she had the best relationship with Emma.Emma smiled faintly. "What does my husband's job have to do with our class reunion? Class reunions are to reminisce about our college years, isn’t it? Don't worry, wherever he works won't affect our friendship."The smile on Celine's face stiffened. She did not expect Emma to be so assertive in her speech."You've changed, Emma. You weren't like this before. You used to be so gentle. Why are you so provocative?""Provocative?" Emma asked in surprise. "Not telling you where my husband works is provocative? Celine, you have been my good friend since college. Why are you so concerned about my husband? It’s a little suspicious, you know." Emma fired back.She knew how to be sarcastic now. Back then, she would hide in embarrassment.With Landon by her side, she was more confident, her ‘weapons’ locked and loaded.Celine's face turned ugly after Emma rebuked her. Other ex-cla
Emma was about to speak when Landon poured her a glass of juice and softly said, "Have some."Emma did not understand what Landon meant. She should have immediately refuted Celine. She felt that her words would lose their impact if she waited too long to respond. Nevertheless, despite her doubts, Emma accepted the glass and sipped it slowly. Landon was more capable than she was, he must have had his reasons for doing what he did.Seeing how obedient Emma was made the corners of Landon's mouth lift slightly. He could now be certain that Ash got his obedient nature from her. Emma and Ash were both so adorably well-behaved, that it made people feel protective of them.Landon turned to Celine and asked, "You were Emma’s best friend in college, right?"Celine was stunned by Landon's gaze. She had never seen such a distinguished man with such a strong presence. The perfect male protagonist from romance novels she read now had a face—it was Emma’s husband.Celine was starstruck and rem
"It was Bella who arranged this reunion to maintain our connections. Targeting Emma? You have quite the imagination," Celine firmly denied Landon’s accusation.Without any evidence, what could Emma's husband do?"Hardly kept in touch?" Landon chuckled lightly and spoke slowly, "After Bella mentioned the class reunion, just a week ago, you secured a deal for your company."Celine's expression changed abruptly, and Bella stared at Landon in shock.Martin did not know about the deal Landon mentioned, but seeing the looks between Bella and Celine, he realized Landon was telling the truth. Martin's heartbeat quickened. How did Landon know? Was it really that easy to uncover another company's business dealings?Emma's husband certainly had considerable status and connections."It was Bella's father's company. You received a twenty thousand dollar bonus and recognition from your superior for securing the deal," Landon said as he ignored the shifting emotions around him.His commanding
"What did you say?" Bella raged as she slammed the table. She stood up abruptly and pointed at Landon's face. "My husband taking an interest in her is her good fortune. Don't flatter yourself!""Bella!" Martin quickly pulled Bella back.By then, he was convinced that Emma's husband was no ordinary person. Everyone seemed worked up while Landon alone remained unaffected. At some point, the gathering had become Emma's husband's domain. Such control could not belong to just any ordinary executive. Who were they trying to fool?Martin's heart sank."Don't stop me!" Bella protested furiously. How dare Emma's husband look down on hers? Her husband was great, and what right did this jerk have to disdain him?Landon sneered. "Why would Emma look at Martin when she has me?"Emma had many admirers in college but did she respond to them? We were already in a relationship but hadn't made it public." Though Landon spoke to Bella, Martin felt humiliated. He knew well enough that, despite Lan
"Have you ever considered that it might have been you who set her up that night?" Landon asked as he narrowed his eyes. Bella caught her breath.She swallowed hard and retorted, "What nonsense are you talking about? What does it have to do with me?""During that party, wasn't it you who 'accidentally' gave Emma a drink that made her highly intoxicated?" Landon asked coldly.He had confirmed the events with Emma before attending the reunion. When she had mentioned the incident earlier, she had tried to appear strong, as if she did not care at all. But her face had turned pale, and her whole body trembled. It was clear that what happened had become an inescapable nightmare for her.Today, he intended to help her break free from that nightmare once and for all.Bella moved her mouth as if to deny it, but Landon smirked. "Don't deny it. There were many people at the party. Someone saw what you did."Bella's face darkened. Even if what he said was true, what was the point of being so
Emma had been feeling extremely groggy that night, and afterward, she could not recall anything clearly. So it was Bella! Bella had been far more involved than she had initially thought! Emma was furious and was about to speak up when she felt Landon's hand tighten around hers. She glanced at Landon and swallowed the words at the tip of her tongue. Landon would handle it. Emma felt an immense sense of trust that he would not let her down."However, truth be told, I guess I should thank you," Landon said as he quietly held Emma’s hand under the table. He cast a meaningful smile at Bella. Bella was puzzled. Thank her? Thank her for what?"I've been with Emma for a long time, and I've even proposed, but she has not said yes," Landon said with some regret as he cast a glance at Emma. "Emma has always been an independent girl, insisting on graduating from college, finding a suitable job, and achieving something for herself before marrying me." Landon sounded aggrieved."How m
In the next moment, a plate crashed right onto Bella's head. The contents of the plate cascaded down her face.Onlookers gasped in shock.Martin, who was about to pull Bella away, was also stunned. Emma's husband was surprisingly quick."I'll kill you!" Bella yelled furiously, dripping with greasy food.Martin hurriedly reached out and grabbed Bella, trying to restrain her. "Stay calm!""Stay calm? How can I stay calm? What kind of a man are you, Martin? I’m being humiliated and you're just standing there?" Bella was beside herself with anger. She loved Martin deeply, but having food dumped on her head had pushed her over the edge, and she was not about to listen to reason."Don't make a scene!" Martin held onto Bella tightly, knowing he had to control her before things got out of hand. He was now certain that Emma's husband was not someone to mess with."If you keep holding me back, I'm filing for divorce!" Bella screamed.She could not bear the humiliation. What was worse tha
“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.