183: A Sudden Revelation

The moment Bauer declared his feelings, Emma was caught off guard. The idea of Bauer harboring such emotions towards her seemed foreign. Their acquaintance wasn't deep enough to warrant such feelings, at least in Emma's eyes. To her, Bauer was little more than a familiar stranger. Yet, fate had strangely knotted their lives together. Bauer's admission of wanting to pursue her sounded outlandish. "Really, Bauer? This kind of humor is lost on me. Think about it, we barely know each other. You're just a friend to me, nothing more. And saying such things in front of your son... It's not just inappropriate, it's confusing for him," Emma retorted, trying to dismiss his words as mere jest. Wasn't it permissible to make adult jokes? Bauer paused, offering a light chuckle as if their intense exchange was no more significant than small talk. However, Bauer, sitting next to Bauer, appeared puzzled. Were his father's declarations mere fabrications? Why then, did it sound so serio