Chapter 137: Sunday Morning

Evelyn smiled when Ethan greeted her, though she still looked sleepy as she stood beside Nora in the living room. She rubbed her eyes and yawned lightly before glancing at him with a curious expression. "You’ve already exercised and taken a bath? How long have you been awake?"

"Long enough to finish my morning routine," Ethan replied, looking between her and Nora. "You two, on the other hand, look as though you could use another three hours of sleep."

Nora yawned again, completely unconcerned by her father’s teasing. "Good morning, Dad," She mumbled, leaning against her mother’s arm.

Ethan chuckled at her sleepy appearance. "Good morning, little princess. Did you sleep well?"

She nodded, then rubbed her stomach and looked at him expectantly. "I’m hungry."

"Already?" Ethan raised an eyebrow. "Didn’t you eat enough yesterday to feed a small village?"

Nora’s expression immediately changed. She stared at him as though he had said something terribly offensive, then folded her arms across her chest. "Dad, that was yesterday!"

"And your stomach has already forgotten about the mountain of food you consumed? I’m beginning to suspect you have a black hole in there."

"Dad!" Nora protested, her cheeks puffing up. "I wasn’t even the only person eating!"

"Of course not. But I distinctly remember someone who looked ready to fight anyone who came near her plate."

Evelyn couldn’t hold back her laughter anymore. She patted Nora’s head affectionately before turning toward Ethan with an amused but mildly reproachful expression. "That’s enough, Ethan. Stop bullying our daughter first thing in the morning."

Ethan rolled his eyes. "I’m not bullying her. I’m simply trying to understand a scientific mystery."

"Then go and conduct your research somewhere else," Nora grumbled, turning her face away from him. "I’m hungry, and I want breakfast."

Ethan laughed at her response, finding it difficult to take her indignation seriously when she looked so adorable with her cheeks puffed out. He reached over and gently patted her head, but Nora immediately ducked away from his hand.

"Don’t touch me. I’m angry with you."

"Really? Then I suppose I shouldn’t make breakfast for you."

Nora’s head snapped around so quickly that Ethan nearly laughed again. She stared at him for a moment before her expression softened into a suspicious smile.

"You wouldn’t do that, would you, Dad?"

Ethan shrugged innocently. "Who knows? I’m a terrible father, apparently."

"You’re not terrible," Nora replied at once, moving closer to him. "You’re the best father in the world."

Evelyn stared at her daughter in disbelief before bursting into laughter. "Nora! You were just angry with him a moment ago!"

"That was before he threatened my breakfast," Nora explained without a trace of shame. "Besides, I was only a little angry."

Ethan shook his head, thoroughly entertained by her reasoning. "Your loyalty can be bought with food. That’s something I’ll remember."

Nora ignored him and turned toward Evelyn, who was still smiling. "Mom, can we go and freshen up? I really want to eat."

"Of course, sweetheart." Evelyn took her hand and led her toward the bathroom, but not before giving Ethan another playful look. "And you should start preparing something delicious. Our daughter is starving."

"Yes, ma’am," Ethan replied with a mock salute.

As the mother and daughter disappeared down the hallway, Ethan glanced at the clock and let out a quiet laugh. It was barely morning, yet Nora had already managed to make breakfast the most important event of the day.

’At this rate, I’ll have to increase our food budget just to keep her satisfied.’

He shook his head and headed into the bedroom to change into something comfortable before beginning his work in the kitchen.

.........

After changing into a simple T-shirt and a pair of comfortable trousers, Ethan made his way to the kitchen. He opened the refrigerator and checked the ingredients available before deciding what to prepare.

Since they had returned from the wedding late the previous evening, nobody had bothered making dinner. He had been too occupied with his own thoughts, while Evelyn and Nora had been exhausted enough to fall asleep almost immediately. It wasn’t a problem, but he knew they would appreciate a proper breakfast after waking up hungry.

He settled on noodles, adding eggs, onions, and a few vegetables to make the meal more satisfying. It wasn’t anything particularly complicated, but Ethan had learned that even simple food could be enjoyable when prepared with care.

He washed his hands, gathered the ingredients, and began slicing the onions. The knife moved steadily across the chopping board as he worked, and before long, the familiar rhythm had him humming a song under his breath.

There was something strangely comforting about the routine. In his previous life, mornings had often begun with business reports, urgent phone calls, and meetings that demanded his immediate attention. Even when he had taken time off, his mind had rarely stopped working. There had always been another company to acquire, another rival to deal with, or another problem waiting for him.

Now, he was standing in a modest kitchen, preparing breakfast for his wife and daughter.

The difference was almost absurd.

Yet he couldn’t deny that he enjoyed it.

Ethan added the onions to the pan and stirred them as their aroma spread through the kitchen. He followed with the other ingredients, allowing everything to cook before adding the noodles. Once the mixture began to simmer, he adjusted the heat and prepared the eggs, occasionally humming as he moved between the stove and the counter.

’Who would have thought I’d end up enjoying something like this?’

He smiled faintly at the thought. He had once considered such domestic activities beneath his attention, leaving everything to employees and household staff. Now, however, there was a particular satisfaction in knowing that the food he prepared would bring a smile to Evelyn and Nora’s faces.

It wasn’t about the difficulty of the task or the skill required. It was about doing something for the people he cared about.

As he finished cooking, Ethan divided the noodles into three portions, making sure Nora’s serving was generous enough to satisfy her appetite. He was placing the plates on a tray when he heard footsteps approaching the kitchen.

"Dad!"

Nora’s cheerful voice reached him before she appeared at the doorway. She had changed into a fresh set of clothes, and her hair was neatly arranged. Evelyn followed behind her, looking considerably more refreshed than she had a few minutes earlier.

Nora’s attention immediately settled on the food. Her eyes brightened, and she hurried toward the counter with an enthusiasm that made Ethan wonder whether she had been thinking about breakfast throughout her entire bath.

"Wow! Dad, that smells amazing!" She exclaimed, leaning forward to admire the noodles. "You made all of this yourself?"

Ethan looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "No, I hired a professional chef and asked him to pretend to be me."

Nora blinked before realizing he was teasing her. She immediately pouted, then wrapped her hands around his arm with an exaggeratedly sweet smile.

"Dad, you’re so talented. You’re handsome, smart, and you can cook delicious food. I think you’re the most amazing person in the world!"

Ethan stared at her for a moment before bursting into laughter. "Good grief! What happened to the girl who was angry with me five minutes ago?"

"She’s gone," Nora replied without hesitation, still smiling sweetly at him. "This is a new person."

Evelyn covered her mouth as she laughed. "Nora, at least pretend you’re being sincere. You’re obviously flattering your father because you want something."

Nora turned toward her mother with an innocent expression. "Mom, how can you say that? Can’t I praise Dad because I love him?"

"Of course you can, sweetheart," Evelyn answered, shaking her head with a smile. "But you could at least wait until after breakfast to ask for anything extra."

Nora looked at her mother, then slowly turned back toward Ethan. Her smile became even sweeter as she tightened her hold on his arm.

"Dad, my wonderful father, would you mind giving me a little extra?"