432: A Tense Dinner

Emma approached the dinner with the old man with a mixture of reluctance and resignation. The old man had once been one of the loudest voices against her marriage to Alex, and now, knowing the truth about Emma's real stature, the dynamics had shifted dramatically. "This will be the last time I engage in your personal matters with Emma. If you plan to remarry, keep it to yourselves," the old man grumbled as Alex arrived to pick him up for dinner. It was clear he was struggling to adapt to the new power balance. "Emma has always been decent to you," Alex countered, defending his former spouse amid the old man's bitterness. "Your prejudice was the real issue. And regardless, Emma is my business partner, not just someone you can dismiss. Please, for tonight, show some respect." The old man's response was a grunt, non-committal but resigned to the evening ahead. When Emma arrived, punctuality as her cloak, the old man’s reception was chilly at best, his words sparing and gruff. "It’s