"Yvonne, I don''t want to be just friends with you..."


    "Mr. Taylor," Yvonne interrupted before he could finish. If she let him continue, they wouldn''t even be able to remain friends.


    "Mr. Taylor, I have something else to attend to, so if you''ll excuse me."


    Thomas knew he couldn''t make her stay and could only nod, watching as she left with her driver.


    Meanwhile, Bet had already walked into the room where Emma was resting.


    Inside, Emma was leaning against the headboard with a grim expression, not looking sick at all.


    Still, the Thompson family''s private physician hade and given her a basic check-up. Naturally, the results showed that nothing was wrong.


    After the examination, the doctor left with his medical bag.


    Ynda had just left with the rest of the Walker family, so now the room contained only Frank, Bet, and Emma.


    "You little rascal, look how you''ve upset your mother," Frank scolded his son while giving him a subtle look.


    Bet walked over to the bed and sat down in a chair. "Mom, where are you feeling unwell?” he asked gently. "Should we go to the hospital for a proper look?"


    Emma was still fuming and just let out a cold snort, ignoring him.


    "If you don''t want to see me, I''ll leave. I''d hate to actually make you ill, Dad would be heartbroken," Bet said, actually making a move to stand up.


    "Fine, go! But if you step out that door, that''s it—you''re dead to me.” Emma snapped.


    Of course, Bet had no intention of actually leaving. He poured a ss of warm water and offered it to Emma appeasingly.


    Emma shot him a re, but he was her son, after all. She couldn''t stay mad at him forever.


    She took the ss and took a symbolic sip before saying, “Look at the mess you made today. Ynda is a young woman with delicate feelings. How could she bear such humiliation?"


    Bet lowered his eyes without a word, thinking to himself that if the Walker family hadn''t been stirring up trouble, they wouldn''t have lost face.


    "That Ynda is such a gentle and considerate girl, perfect wife material. I truly adore her," Emma continued.


    Bet replied, "If you adore her so much, why don''t you marry her then?"


    "What nonsense are you talking?" Emma red at him, annoyed.


    Bet remained seated, casually picking up an orange from the table and peeling it. "If you want me to get married, it has to be to someone actually like," he said as he worked. "If there''s no spark, how do you expect to get any grandchildren?"


    He finished and offered a slice of the freshly peeled orange to Emma.


    She didn''t take it, instead pping his hand away irritably. “No spark for Ynda, but you''re full of it for that little siren, Yvonne!"


    "You''re breaking off your engagement for a woman you''ve barely known for any length of time. Have you lost your mind?"


    "I''ve never been clearer in my life,


    and I know exactly what I want." After Emma refused the orange, Bet tossed it back onto the fruit te and pulled a few tissues from a box to wipe his hands.


    "I''ll say this onest time: I am not marrying Ynda. And you should keep your distance from the Walker


    family from now on Getting too involved with them will do you and the Thompson family no good."


    Bet had said his piece. Whether Emma listened was up to her.


    "And another thing," he warned, "don''t let me find out you''re giving Yvonne a hard time behind my back. That kind of behavior is beneath you."


    "You''re really protecting her! That actress—besides being young and pretty, what do you even see in her?" Emma demanded, ring at him.


    "There''s no reason,” Bet said calmly. “But if you must have one, let''s just say sometimes, love just happens, and it only grows stronger."