Chapter 102

"Emily, I boiled an egg for you today," Michael Stone said carefully as he placed the peeled egg into her bowl.

Emily Johnson looked at the farm-fresh egg in her bowl, then glanced at her husband's nearly worn-out cloth shoes. Her heart ached. This man was so frugal with himself, yet he always found ways to give her extra food.

"I want to go to town," she suddenly announced.

Michael's hand trembled, nearly dropping his chopsticks. "W-What for?"

"To buy you a pair of rubber shoes," Emily said, staring at his feet. "Yours are about to show your toes."

"My shoes are fine!" Michael quickly pulled his feet back. "Save the money to buy meat for you."

Little Tommy blinked and asked, "Daddy, why do your shoes talk? Mommy said they're about to 'show your toes.'"

David immediately covered his brother's mouth and dragged him outside. Mom and Dad were about to argue again. Ever since Sophia Green left, Mom had been acting strange.

The room fell silent.

"Are you afraid I'll run away?" Emily asked bluntly.

Michael broke into a sweat. "I'm just worried it's not safe for you to go to town alone!"

"Then what are you really afraid of?" Emily took a step closer. "Afraid I have a lover in town?"

"Nonsense!" Michael shot to his feet, his tall frame looming over her. "Who in this whole countryside could compare to me?"

Emily was stunned by his sudden intensity. It was true—this man might be poor, but he gave her his all. Too bad in the original story, she was just the villainess...

"Michael," she suddenly asked, "if I really ran away, would you chase me?"

The man was silent for a long moment before answering hoarsely, "I'd hunt you down to the ends of the earth."

Emily's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly changed the subject. "Tomorrow, I'll buy some yarn to knit sweaters for the kids."

"What about me?" Michael looked at her like a child begging for candy.

Her cheeks warmed under his gaze. "If... if there's extra yarn, I'll make one for you too."

"Let's just buy ready-made ones," Michael suddenly took her hand. "Knitting is too tiring. I don’t want you to strain yourself."

His rough hand enveloped her slender fingers, and Emily suddenly thought—maybe staying here wouldn’t be so bad after all.