Chapter 151: A Visit?

Nora had apparently decided that Ethan’s lap was the most comfortable place in the entire shop.

With her head resting on his thigh, she had one hand wrapped around a small cushion while the other occasionally reached for the iPad resting beside her. Every now and then, she would shift her position, find a more comfortable angle, and continue whatever she was doing on the screen. Ethan, meanwhile, sat on the couch with his phone in one hand, occasionally glancing down at his daughter whenever she moved.

The shop remained busy throughout the afternoon. Customers came in to purchase fruits, others stopped by to ask about the smoothies, and a few placed orders for the following day. Evelyn and Cassandra were constantly moving between the counters, attending to customers and making sure everything ran smoothly.

At some point, Nora put her iPad aside and closed her eyes. The gentle warmth of Ethan’s hand as he patted her head made it difficult to resist the temptation to sleep, and within minutes, her breathing had become slow and steady.

Ethan glanced down at her and smiled faintly. He adjusted the cushion beneath her head, making sure she was comfortable, before returning his attention to his phone. He had no intention of waking her up just because she had decided to use him as a pillow.

By the time the last batch of fruits was sold, the afternoon had gradually given way to evening.

Evelyn dusted her hands together and looked at Cassandra with a satisfied smile. "We did well today. I think we’re getting better at managing the rush."

Cassandra returned her smile as she wiped her hands with a towel. "Definitely. If we keep this up, we’ll probably need more people soon. There were moments today when I didn’t even know which customer to attend to first."

"Tell me about it." Evelyn chuckled, glancing toward the entrance. "But it’s a good problem to have."

As Cassandra turned to put the towel away, her gaze lingered on Evelyn’s hair. The woman’s white hair stood out beneath the shop’s lights, its natural sheen making it look almost silver in certain places. She had noticed it before, of course, but now that the day’s rush was over, curiosity finally got the better of her.

"Evelyn, can I ask you something?" Cassandra said, pointing toward her hair.

Evelyn turned to her. "Sure. What is it?"

"Is your white hair natural?"

Evelyn blinked before following Cassandra’s gaze toward her own hair. A small smile appeared on her face as she nodded. "It’s a little strange, right? Yeah, it’s my natural hair color. And that’s why Nora has it too."

Cassandra’s eyes widened slightly. "Really? That’s amazing! I’ve seen people dye their hair white, but I’ve never met someone whose hair naturally grows that way."

She tilted her head, examining Evelyn’s hair with open admiration. "It actually suits you. It makes you look unique."

Evelyn laughed softly, brushing a few strands away from her face. "Thank you. I’ve heard that a few times, although I wouldn’t say it’s anything special."

"Well, I think it is." Cassandra smiled. "And Nora looks adorable with it, too."

At the mention of her daughter, Evelyn glanced toward the couch. Nora was still asleep on Ethan’s lap, seemingly unaware that she had become the subject of their conversation. Ethan was gently patting her head, his attention occasionally shifting from his phone to the little girl.

A warmth settled in Evelyn’s expression before her phone began ringing.

She took it from her pocket and looked at the screen. The moment she saw the caller’s name, her smile stiffened slightly.

It was her father, James.

For a few seconds, she simply stared at the screen before answering the call.

"Hello, Dad," She greeted him, forcing a small smile into her voice

"Evelyn, how are you doing?" James asked from the other end. "It’s been a while since we last spoke. I wanted to check on you and see how things were going."

"I’m doing well, Dad. How about you?"

"I’m fine, I’m fine." He paused briefly before continuing, "And how is the business? I hope everything is going smoothly."

"Yes, everything is going well," Evelyn replied. "We’ve been getting more customers lately, and sales have been encouraging. We’re managing."

"That’s good to hear." James sounded pleased. "I’m glad things are working out for you. What about Nora? Has she started school yet?"

Evelyn glanced toward the couch again, where her daughter remained curled up against Ethan. "Yes, Dad. She’s already enrolled."

"Oh? Which school did you enroll her in?" He asked.

"The school established by the federal government in Arcane City."

There was a brief silence on the other end.

"The federal government’s school?" James repeated, sounding a little surprised. "That’s quite something. Congratulations, Evelyn. I hope she settles in well."

"Thank you, Dad. She’s doing fine so far."

"Good, good. That’s what matters." James paused again, and when he spoke next, his tone became a little more personal. "So, when are you planning to visit us? Your younger sister has been asking about you. Sophie misses you quite a bit, you know."

Evelyn’s smile faded a little.

She didn’t answer immediately. Instead, her eyes drifted toward Ethan, who had just put his phone aside to adjust Nora’s position. He brushed a loose strand of hair away from their daughter’s forehead before resting his hand gently on her head again.

Evelyn watched them quietly for a moment.

It wasn’t that she didn’t want to visit her family. Sophie was her younger sister, and she had no reason to hold anything against her. But things had changed considerably since she married Ethan, and she wasn’t sure how her father would react to meeting him again.

"I understand, Dad," She finally replied. "I’ll discuss it with my husband, and we’ll decide when we can come over."

James fell silent.

The pause lasted only a few seconds, but Evelyn noticed it. She tightened her grip on the phone slightly, waiting for him to respond.

"All right," He eventually said. "Talk it over with him. Let me know when you’ve decided."

"I will, Dad."

"Take care of yourself, Evelyn. And give my regards to Nora."

"I will. Goodbye, Dad."

After ending the call, Evelyn lowered her phone and stared at the screen for a moment. Then she let out a quiet sigh and slipped it back into her pocket.

Whatever complicated feelings the conversation had stirred up, she decided not to dwell on them for now. She had enough things to handle already, and there was no point worrying about a visit that hadn’t even been scheduled.

Turning toward Cassandra, she put on a smile. "All right, let’s pack up. It’s time to head home."