The air was thick with tension, but Emma couldn't care less if William's mother disliked her. It had only been, what, two days since they met? She'd dived into this boyfriend-girlfriend arrangement because she wanted a baby, not because she was looking to play happy family with them.
As she sliced into her steak, she stopped mid-cut. The meat was practically bleeding on her plate. Gross, she thought.
William noticed her pause. "What's wrong?"
She stared at the raw steak in disbelief. "It's not cooked. How do you eat this? Are you vampires or something?"
William chuckled, waving down the server "Can you make this well-done, please?"
Across the table, Eve couldn't resist. "Well done? That's like chewing on rubber."
Emma shot back, "Better than chewing on a crime scene."
Truth be told, Emma wasn't a steak fan at all. This was her first time trying a thick steak, and it wasn't going well.
Meanwhile, Kim was busy showering her soon mother-in-law-to-be with compliments,
praising how youthful she looked and how flawless her skin was.
Then William's mother turned her sharp gaze to Emma. "So, dear, what do your parents do?" she asked, her tone laced with curiosity but also judgment.
Before Emma could open her mouth, William answered for her. "Her family owns a general merchandising business."
"Which one?" His mother's voice dripped with disinterest.
"MDB General Merchandising," William responded.
Emma's jaw tightened, irritation creeping up. Did he think she couldn't speak for herself?
William's mother raised an eyebrow, her lips curling into a slight sneer. "Never heard of it. Probably too small to be worth knowing about." She looked at Emma, as if her background were something to be pitied.
Before William could speak, Emma cut him off. "Actually, I'm an orphan. Both my parents died a long time ago." She straightened in her seat, her voice steady but firm. "The business you're dismissing—MDB General
Merchandising—is what helped me graduate. It belongs to my aunt and her
husband, who've been raising us. And, by the way, they taught me to treat people with respect."
There was an invisible laser in Emma's eyes as she locked her gaze with William's mother. No backing down now. The others sat in silent anticipation, wondering who would win this battle.
William's dad looked amazed, even he, himself had never dared to reason with
his wife. Lloyd, on the other hand, was silently eyeing William, as if urging him to reprimand his girlfriend. Eve and Patrick were lovebirds but you can tell they are enjoying the show. William smirked, watching Emma stand her ground. It was like a standoff between two Ice Princesses.
William's mother blinked, caught off guard by Emma's bluntness, and the air between them crackled. She narrowed her eyes, her lips curling into a faint, condescending smile. "Respect, you say? That's a noble lesson. But respect is earned, my dear. It doesn't come from some… modest family business."
Emma leaned forward slightly, her voice calm but sharp enough to cut glass. "You're right, respect is earned. And for me, it's not about how big yourbank account is or how many properties you own. It's about how you treat people — especially those you think are beneath you."
William's mother arched an eyebrow, clearly not expecting such a bold response. "That's quite the stance. But in this world, success and status do matter. They separate those who thrive from those who simply get by.
Wouldn't you agree?"
Emma tilted her head, smiling sweetly. "Not necessarily. I've met plenty of 'successful' people who have everything money can buy but lack basic decency. Thriving, to me, is about building something meaningful—relationships, character, and yes, even businesses, no matter their size."
William, sensing the rising tension, opened his mouth to speak, but his mother cut him off, her gaze still fixed on Emma. "And yet, here you are, dating into a family of status and wealth. Is that your idea of building
something meaningful? Or are you just .... aspiring higher?"
Emma didn't flinch, her tone unwavering. "Actually, I'm here because William invited me. I didn't know who his family was or what their status is. If I wanted to 'aspire higher,' I'd focus on my career and personal growth, not
trying to fit into a world where people judge you before even knowing your story."
There was a pause, and the air in the room seemed to grow heavier. William's mother's smile tightened, but Emma could tell she was weighing her next move.
"And you expect us to believe that?" she finally said, her voice icy but measured.
"I'm not saying it for anyone to believe it, I'm just stating the facts, madam." Emma responded with the same icy tone.
William's mother smiled thinly. "You're bold, I'll give you that. But boldness without refinement can only take you so far."
Emma smiled, her eyes glinting with determination. "And refinement without kindness gets you nowhere."
William's mother leaned back slightly, her expression unreadable. "Is that so? So, what do you do for a living, then, Emma?" she asked coolly.
Emma didn't miss a beat. "I worked for your company, Madam."
Lloyd and William's father looked amazed. It had only been two days since William joined the company, and here he was, already dating someone from work. Guess being a lady's man really ran in the blood.
William's mother paused, as if weighing her next words, but before she could reply, Eve suddenly joined the conversation, her face lighting up with recognition. "You work there?"
William, sensing the shift in the air, grinned wickedly as he recalls the awkward moments in their car ride from before "Yes, we all are, I even heard it was Patrick over there, the one who trained my Emma, He even said she passed will flying collars."
Eve's eyes went wide as she glanced from Patrick who was like pleading her not to over react and then to Emma who looks clueless as why she was so angry at her.
Without a moment's hesitation, she grabbed her bloody steak from her plate and—without a second thought—hurled it straight at Emma.