The plane finally touched down in City A. As Emma Johnson stepped off the aircraft with her son in her arms, she looked up at the clear blue sky above. Her eyes stung slightly. She was finally home.
She knew she couldn't have stayed in France any longer.
"My precious grandson! Grandma missed you so much. Come here, let Grandma give you a hug!"
The moment they walked through the door, Sophia Johnson rushed forward excitedly, reaching for little Charlie, who was nestled in Emma's arms. Charlie had just woken up. When he saw his grandmother, he immediately cried out, "Grandma!" and obediently wrapped his arms around Sophia's neck. He planted a kiss on her cheek, making her beam with joy. James Johnson stood nearby, watching his little grandson with a happy smile, nodding to himself.
"Well, well, he looks taller than he did a year ago."
Even though Emma had been living abroad these past few years, her parents had visited her two or three times a year. So Charlie was no stranger to them. He was very affectionate with them.
"Yes, he's not only taller but heavier too. It's getting a bit hard for me to carry him now," Emma said with a smile to her parents.
Five years had passed, but time had been kind to her. She looked a little more mature and capable, but her face was still as beautiful as ever. With her hair in a ponytail and wearing jeans, she could easily pass for a college student, if not a high schooler.
"Dad, Mom, I have to go out for a bit. Take Charlie to dinner first. I'll probably be back after dinner tonight."
Emma set her suitcase down in the living room. Without even taking time to unpack, she was already heading out the door.
"But you just got back to the country. You haven't even rested yet," James said, his voice filled with concern.
"It's fine. I slept on the plane. I'm not tired at all."
With that, she opened the door and left again.
Emma's parents knew their daughter had business to attend to, so they didn't insist she stay. Luckily, little Charlie was there to keep them company. He soon had them laughing and smiling. Plus, there was the white cat. It was Charlie's first time seeing it, and he loved it immediately. The boy and the cat sat on the rug, playing happily together. The once cold and quiet living room suddenly felt lively and warm. The elders quickly focused their attention on them, their hearts filled with joy.
Meanwhile, Emma took a taxi to The Waterfront, Mia Lewis's restaurant. She didn't go to the branch office. Mia knew Emma was coming back today, so she wasn't surprised to see her. But she did frown a little when she saw Emma had come alone.
"Where's my godson? Why did you come by yourself?"
Mia and Olivia Davis had visited Emma in France twice. The last time they had seen Charlie was a year ago. Thinking of that little guy who talked like a tiny adult but knew exactly how to act cute, Mia's heart melted.
Emma couldn't help but laugh and roll her eyes at her friend. "Do you think he's a grown-up? He just flew for so many hours. If I made him follow me around in the car, he'd get sick."
Mia remembered that the little guy was only five years old. She said no more and led Emma to the private room she had reserved.
"He's already here. Waiting for you inside."
Emma nodded and pushed open the door. The person inside stood up immediately, their face lighting up with excitement.
"Chief Editor!"
"I haven't been your chief editor for years. Why are you still calling me that? Just call me Emma from now on."
Emma smiled and gently pushed the standing woman, Ava Brown, back into her seat. Mia had already signaled for the waiter to come in.
"Well, I got used to it back then. It's hard to change overnight. But since you asked me to come, it means you're serious about buying New York Fashion Magazine. So it's only right for me to call you Chief Editor again," Ava said with a smile.
Ava had been Emma's assistant years ago. Now, she was no longer just an assistant. She was the director of the advertising department at New York Fashion Magazine. She looked more mature and sophisticated now. Emma felt a sense of pride seeing her like this. After all, Ava was a talent she had recognized. If Ava were still stuck in an assistant position, it would mean Emma's judgment wasn't so good.
But thinking about the current state of New York Fashion Magazine, it was probably on its last legs. No wonder Ava was looking for a way out.
"Even if I buy New York Fashion Magazine, I'm not going to be the chief editor again. But I still need to hear the full story from you. I want to know the magazine's exact situation so I can negotiate the acquisition with Joshua Harris in a couple of days. I don't want him to cheat me."
Although Ava had told her some things before, the details were still fuzzy. Emma had enough money to start a new magazine, but her feelings for New York Fashion Magazine were different. She had built it up from the ground. Hearing that it was getting worse day by day made her uncomfortable. It was better to buy it back than to start from scratch.
She never expected that Joshua Harris, who was so smart and calculating, would fall for a woman. The chief editor he had hired himself wasn't very capable, but she knew how to win him over. Somehow, she had even made him divorce his wife for her. That woman must have been quite skilled.
But her skills were only useful on men. They did nothing for the magazine. How could someone who only knew how to abuse power and didn't care about the employees or the magazine's profits run it well? Especially in this age of advanced internet and information. If a print media didn't have a certain level of popularity, it would be very easy to be eliminated.
So today's New York Fashion Magazine was truly in danger.
Ava told Emma everything that had been happening at the magazine. She secretly watched Emma, who was deep in thought. Ava couldn't help but sigh. There was one thing she had never been able to tell Emma, her former chief editor. Ever since Emma went abroad, the investment from Pinnacle Corporation had stopped. And the media had confirmed the divorce. Ava knew there would be no more investment from Pinnacle Corporation in the future.
But if Emma could successfully buy New York Fashion Magazine, it would be much better than letting Joshua Harris continue to run it. That thought brought her some comfort.
After a detailed discussion with Ava, they finished their dinner and parted ways.