Chapter 45: Heartbroken Cassie [100 PS Bonus - (1)]

Chapter 45: Heartbroken Cassie [100 PS Bonus Chapter (1)]

The Hale family returned to their familiar neighborhood by noon. With Evelyn insisting on it, they all went to the shop after dropping off their loads at home.

Looking at his wife who was eagerly arranging the fruits, Ethan couldn’t help but smile.

’Looks like she’s in love with her job itself.’

Then, he shifted his gaze to Nora, seeing her read a comic book Cole had brought for her during his last visit.

’One step at a time.’

The moment the delivery trucks arrived, he helped them load the fruits into the shop, paid on Evelyn’s behalf, and watched them go.

He glanced around the market, and he could already see the displeased expressions of the other shop owners around them.

A corner of his lips curved in a smirk and he ignored them.

"Ethan? Come help me with this."

With the sweet voice calling him, he immediately went ahead to support his wife.

Once the arrangement was done, they separated and stayed in different shops. Once again, the customers began to appear like they had been waiting for so long.

A few of them asked Evelyn where she had been the previous day, and she politely answered them that she had gone to visit a relative.

No one complained, and they all began to buy from her.

For hours, everything went smoothly. By evening, the two shops were almost empty.

Ethan walked over to Evelyn and hugged her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder. The young woman squealed cutely but didn’t resist, causing Ethan to chuckle.

She settled into his embrace with a smile, then asked, "Should we add a discount again?"

Ethan looked at the remaining fruits left and shook his head. "It’s not too late to sell them normally. Unless you specifically want to give your customers a discount."

Evelyn hummed quietly, closing her eyes as she considered it. "Let’s give them a discount!"

Ethan nodded and released her. He wrote neatly on the suggestion board and hung it for all to see.

Immediately, the lurkers—people who had been specifically waiting for this opportunity—flocked to their shop and began to buy crazily.

In just a few minutes, all the fruits had been sold. Evelyn looked at the empty display board, dumbfounded.

"So fast?"

Ethan chuckled and ruffled her hair. "Don’t underestimate the people’s love for cheaper things."

The young woman laughed and shook her head, amused.

"Well, that means we can return home early."

Just as she said that, her phone rang, and she realized that it was a call from Cassie.

She frowned slightly, then picked it up. Ethan stepped away from her and decided to complete a transaction he had been stalling.

Attached to the receipt, he sent a message; ’Don’t thank me yet, old man. That’s for Mom.’

When he got back to Evelyn, she looked troubled.

"What’s wrong?" He asked.

She scratched her head and grumbled. "Apparently, Cassie had a fight with her boyfriend and they broke up. She went to the bar and drank too much. Now, she’s asking me to come pick her."

Ethan frowned. "You’re not going there alone."

"You want to follow me?" She smiled beautifully.

Ethan rolled his eyes and turned away. "Let’s take Nora back home first."

They immediately closed the shops and headed home. Once they got back, Ethan gave his phone to the little girl to keep her busy, and they prepared to leave.

"Where are you going?" Nora asked, stopping them.

Evelyn turned around and explained to her. "Mommy’s friend just called her and needs some help, okay? We’ll be back very quickly."

Nora frowned, obviously not liking the idea of being left alone—or leaving her parents’ side for unknown reasons.

Still, she knew there was little point in throwing a tantrum.

Turning her back, she returned to the living room. "Come back safely."

Ethan and Evelyn smiled, then went out of the house. The location Cassie had sent wasn’t in their neighborhood, so they had to board a taxi to reach their destination.

Looking at the dark alley with a scowl, Ethan asked, "What the hell is she doing in this kind of bar, anyway?"

He voiced his displeasure and led the way. Occasionally, they passed by a few smokers who eyed Evelyn weirdly but didn’t move once they remembered Ethan.

His tall frame had an imposing presence on others, and it intimidated them a little.

It didn’t take long before they arrived at the bar. The doors were wide open, and the smell of alcohol hit them first.

Ethan paused a little, surprised. ’Why did she come to such a shady bar after breaking up with her boyfriend? Feels off.’

This bar was even more disgusting than Joe’s bar.

’Sigh, rest in prison, man.’

He took the lead and walked inside while holding Evelyn’s hand.

"Let’s find her quickly and leave this place."

The young woman nodded meekly, unable to raise her head to look around properly. A crowd like this intimidated her. Thankfully, she wasn’t here alone.

"Hey, beautiful~ Come with me."

Someone suddenly appeared and tried to drag her to a dance, but Ethan pulled Evelyn close, causing the man to miss.

"What the hell?!"

The man glared at Ethan, who met his gaze without flinching. After a tense standoff, he snorted and turned as two scantily dressed women easily pulled him away.

"This place is really dangerous," Evelyn muttered.

"Ugly too," Ethan nodded.

Standing in the same position, he looked around in search for Cassie. Soon, he found her sitting with the bartender, drinking another glass of alcohol while a man sat with her, chatting.

"Found her. Let’s go."

They soon reached the young woman and saw her condition. Reddened cheeks, dazed expression, and barely-opened eyes. She was really drunk.

Ethan shook his head in disapproval. Evelyn approached her friend and shook her body.

"Cassie? I’m here."

The black-haired young woman stirred at the familiar voice and her name being called. She stared at Evelyn with a groggy look in her eyes, then said, "Yay~! You’re here! Come have a drink."

Evelyn deadpanned. "Idiot. You’ve drunk too much already. Let’s go."

"Wait, no need to be in a hurry."

The man sitting opposite Cassie finally spoke, a scheming glint appearing in his eyes. Seeing Evelyn’s delicate features, he couldn’t help but grow excited. He already felt an urge to pull her into his arms.

Just as he smiled and reached out to her, he felt a tap on his shoulder, and a calm voice reached his ears.

"What are you reaching for?"