Chapter 142: A Good Man?

Ethan watched Thalia for another moment before turning off the engine. He opened the car door, stepped out, and walked toward her with a smile.

"Thalia! It’s been a while." He raised a hand in greeting. "How have you been?"

Thalia turned at the sound of his voice. Recognition flashed across her face, and she returned his smile. "Ethan? What a surprise! I’ve been doing well. How about you? How have you been?"

"Everything’s fine on my end." Ethan slipped his hands into his pockets. "Life has been treating me pretty well lately. What about you? How are your businesses doing?"

"They’re doing well, thankfully." Thalia nodded, adjusting the strap of her handbag on her shoulder. "Actually, they’re doing a little too well. I’m constantly moving from one place to another, and sometimes I barely have time to catch my breath."

Ethan raised an eyebrow. "Sounds like a good problem to have."

"It is, but it can be exhausting." She glanced toward the school entrance, where her son had disappeared moments earlier, then checked her wristwatch. "I have to get back to work now. Sunday is practically the only day I can spare enough time to bring Bryan to school activities or spend a little time with him without worrying about work every five minutes."

"Oh..." Ethan blinked, then nodded. "All right, I shouldn’t keep you waiting, Thalia. See you later."

"Definitely!" Thalia smiled as she took a step back. "It was nice seeing you again, Ethan. We should catch up properly sometime."

"Of course. Take care of yourself."

"You too!"

They exchanged one final wave before going their separate ways. Thalia headed toward her car, while Ethan returned to the BMW and drove toward Eve Refreshments.

As he approached the shop, he spotted a few customers near the entrance. He parked, stepped out, and had barely taken two steps toward the door when a familiar figure hurried toward him.

"Ethan!"

Before he could respond, Evelyn wrapped her arms around him.

He looked down at the woman clinging to his waist, then glanced around the shop. Cassandra was arranging some fruits nearby, while another customer stood at the counter, examining the available products. Ethan returned his attention to his wife and patted her shoulder.

"What’s this? Did you miss me that much?"

Evelyn lifted her head, her cheeks slightly pink. "Can’t I hug my husband?"

"Of course you can." His lips curled into a smile as he bent down and kissed her forehead. "You can hug me whenever you want."

"Good." She tightened her arms around him briefly before finally letting go. "Now, come inside. There’s still a lot of work to do."

Ethan chuckled and followed her into the shop.

The familiar scent of fresh fruit greeted him as he entered. Several crates had been arranged near the shelves, and Cassandra was busy sorting the fruits while keeping an eye on the customers. Ethan rolled up his sleeves, found an apron hanging near the counter, and put it on.

Evelyn watched him tie the strings around his waist, a pleased smile appearing on her face. "You really don’t mind helping out here, do you?"

"Why would I mind?" Ethan adjusted the apron and glanced at the fruit display. "Besides, I can’t let my wife handle everything alone. What kind of husband would that make me?"

Evelyn’s smile widened, and she stepped closer to straighten the apron around his waist. "Then you can start by helping me arrange those oranges."

"Yes, ma’am."

She laughed softly before returning to the counter, leaving Ethan to get to work.

The hours passed with a steady stream of customers coming and going. Ethan helped arrange the fruits, attended to customers, and occasionally assisted Evelyn with the orders. Although he wasn’t as familiar with every detail of the business as she was, he learned quickly and managed to keep himself occupied.

Every now and then, Gilbert appeared from the fruit juice shop next door with his recording equipment. He would capture a few clips of Evelyn interacting with customers, film Ethan helping with the fruit displays, or record some close-up shots of the fresh produce.

"All right, that’s enough for now," Gilbert announced after filming a short sequence of Ethan arranging apples. "I’ll head back and check the footage. I might need a few more clips later."

Ethan waved him off. "Go ahead. Just make sure you don’t make me look like a man who has never touched a fruit in his life."

Gilbert laughed. "No promises!"

He disappeared through the connecting entrance, leaving Ethan shaking his head with amusement.

The work continued, and as the afternoon wore on, the rush gradually eased. With fewer customers around, Cassandra had some time to restock the shelves, while Evelyn leaned against the counter and watched the remaining customers leave.

She glanced at Cassandra, who was checking the inventory on a small notepad, and tilted her head thoughtfully.

"Cassandra, have you thought about what you want to do with your life?"

Cassandra looked up, momentarily surprised by the question. "My life?"

"Yes." Evelyn folded her arms loosely. "I mean, what are your plans for the future? Do you want to continue working here, start your own business, or do something else entirely?"

Cassandra lowered her notepad and considered the question for a moment.

"Honestly, I’m still figuring things out." She tapped the end of her pen against the paper. "I want to wait a little longer before making any big decisions. Maybe I’ll get into a relationship next year if I meet someone I like. After that, I might start a small business of my own."

She glanced around the shop, taking in the shelves of fruit and the neat arrangement of products near the entrance.

"Something like this, perhaps. A small business that can support me without taking over my entire life."

Evelyn’s lips curved into a smile. "That’s not a bad plan. Having something of your own can give you a lot of freedom, especially when you know how to manage it properly."

"That’s what I’m hoping for." Cassandra nodded. "I don’t need to become incredibly rich. I just want to earn enough to live comfortably and enjoy my life without constantly worrying about money."

"Then I hope you achieve that." Evelyn reached over and gave her shoulder a gentle pat. "And when the time comes for you to find a partner, make sure you choose a good man."

Cassandra’s cheeks flushed slightly. "Evelyn!"

"What?" Evelyn laughed at her reaction. "I’m serious! There’s no point in building a comfortable life for yourself only to let someone come along and make it miserable."

"Well, I suppose you’re right." Cassandra lowered her head, hiding a small smile. "I’ll keep that in mind."

"Good. Don’t settle for someone who doesn’t appreciate you."

Ethan, who had been arranging a basket of mangoes a short distance away, paused at their conversation. He glanced at Evelyn, then at Cassandra, before returning his attention to the fruits.

For some reason, her words lingered in his mind.

’Make sure you choose a good man.’

He picked up a mango, inspected it briefly, and placed it back in the basket.

Was the original Ethan a good man?

His hands slowed.

From what he had learned through the man’s memories, the answer wasn’t particularly flattering. The original Ethan had neglected his wife and daughter, wasted money on drinking and gambling, and repeatedly made choices that brought misery into their home. He had been irresponsible, selfish, and, at times, downright cruel.

By any ordinary standard, he had been a terrible husband and father.

Yet Ethan found himself hesitating whenever he tried to judge the man completely.

He had inherited more than the man’s name and body. He had experienced fragments of his memories, witnessed the events that shaped his life, and felt the emotions that had accompanied some of his worst decisions. Those memories didn’t excuse the harm he had caused, but they made it difficult to look at him as nothing more than a villain.

Ethan set the last mango in place and leaned against the counter, his gaze drifting toward Evelyn.

She was smiling at something Cassandra had said, completely unaware of the direction his thoughts had taken. A moment later, she looked up and caught him staring.

"What is it?" She asked, tilting her head.

Ethan blinked, then shook his head. "Nothing. I was just thinking."

"About what?"

"Work." He gave her a small smile. "What else would I be thinking about while standing in a fruit shop?"

Evelyn narrowed her eyes slightly, clearly unconvinced, but she didn’t press him. Instead, she returned to her conversation with Cassandra.

Ethan watched her for another second before lowering his gaze.

The original Ethan had made his choices, and the people around him had suffered because of them. Nothing could change that. But whether the man had been born bad, become bad through his circumstances, or simply chosen the wrong path too many times was a question Ethan couldn’t answer with certainty.

He drew a quiet breath and resumed arranging the fruits.

’In the end, I am not God.’