Chapter 8

Landon’s tone completely unsettled Calvin. "Are you in a fake marriage?"

"It's just a contractual marriage. We each get what we need, fair and reasonable," Landon said matter-of-factly.

Calvin was infuriated. "Your grandfather waited for you to get married not for the sake of your marriage..."

Calvin's words trailed off midway. He could not continue. Anyone looking at Landon's smile devoid of amusement would not be able to say much either. For Landon, marriage was nothing more than a transaction. In Landon's current world, there was no such thing as ‘feelings’.

"The person you've chosen to marry must be outstanding, right?" Calvin probed, half amused. "Maybe in a year, you'll turn this into a real relationship."

Landon chuckled, "You can hope for the sun to rise from the west."

Falling in love with Emma? He acknowledged that Emma was a practical woman, a good business partner, but... love? What was that? He would never entertain such foolish emotions in his lifetime.

Emma had no idea what was happening on Landon's end. At that moment, she was in the living room answering a call from Barbara.

"Emma, what do you mean by having a runner deliver the household register?" Barbara asked, almost exploding with anger. She had been waiting for Emma to return the household register so that she could inquire about her marriage. She had not expected Emma to send a runner instead of showing up herself.

She was filled with anger but had no outlet for it.

"Mom, I thought that you didn't want to see me? Wasn't I embarrassing you? I thought staying away was what you wanted, wasn't it?"

Barbara erupted in curses. "You ungrateful brat, I worked hard to raise you. Over the years, for your sake, how much hardship have I endured?

"You got married so casually. What if you get deceived? I scold you because it's for your own good. Have you forgotten that you’ve already been deceived once, 5 years ago? Do you want to be foolish again?" Barbara felt utterly wronged. How did Emma not appreciate her good intentions?

"Enough!" Emma felt the suffocating pain coming on. The nightmares from her childhood rushed back, squeezing the breath out of her. "I don't need you to care for me. Just worry about yourself."

Barbara knew she had been deceived five years ago and kept insulting her about it. What was that? The same routine, the same moral blackmail. She had had enough! Emma decisively hung up the phone, then took a deep breath and forced back her tears.

From when she was a child, Barbara constantly complained and criticized her. Barbara had called her stupid, and foolish, then said she endured her incompetent father, Weston Walker and had lived a bitter life for Emma’s sake. Emma always felt like a sinner for causing Barbara to live in such pain and unhappiness.

She tried hard to make Barbara happy, but she found that it was all in vain. Barbara had never been happy. No matter what she did, Barbara could always find the worst aspect of it. She had truly had enough!

Emma took another deep breath, suppressed all the negative emotions, and curved her lips into a smile. She would not inflict the tragedies in her life on Asher.

She turned around to face Asher with a smile. "Oh, Ash is so diligent! You’re folding the clothes so well! Wonderful!" Then she sat down, took a shirt, and folded it neatly.

"Look, Mommy can fold better than Ash, right? Keep up the good work, Ash. Then you can fold even better."

Little Asher’s eyes brightened. He excitedly took another piece of clothing from the side and joined the folding competition with his mommy.