The restaurant was filled with the aroma of soup, and the heat from the pots created a misty atmosphere.
Ethan pushed open the kitchen door, tied on his apron, and picked up a knife, skillfully chopping carrots.
The rhythm of the chopping was steady, much like him—it was calm, yet with an unspoken coldness. He was unleashing his anger on the shopping board.
"Boss, today's orders are higher than usual," his assistant said while stir-frying rice.
"Has the restaurant opened?" Ethan asked casually. He had come in from the back door so he wasn't sure.
"Yes, it just opened. The morning guests are already seated."
Ethan nodded and added the chopped carrots to the boiling soup. It was his signature dish: Spicy Vegetable Soup.
The soup's broth was slightly yellow, with a unique aroma that outsiders thought was a secret recipe, but little did they know it held another identity of his.
"Make the fried rice a bit crunchier this time," he instructed.
"Got it!" his assistant replied, moving quickly.
Just then, the waiter rushed into the kitchen, holding a new order. "Boss, we have new customers ordering."
"Put it over there," Ethan said without looking up.
His assistant watched him work and suddenly asked, "Boss, you seem a bit off lately. And I noticed you came late and didn't sleep in the dorm room."
"Hmm?" Ethan didn't stop chopping.
"Are you... going to keep coming this late to the restaurant?"
Ethan paused for a moment before nodding.
The assistant was taken aback. "Why? The restaurant is doing well now like it's in its season so it's better you don't come any later than you did today!"
Ethan sighed. "I will not only begin to come late but also some days I may not come. It's because of one person—Liam Hayes."
The assistant frowned. "Him again? Boss, I think you should stay away from him. If he causes trouble again, you'll be implicated."
"I know," Ethan replied calmly.
"Know? He almost killed himself last time, and now he's staying with you. If anything happens to him, you'll be in big trouble." The assistant couldn't help but complain, "And he doesn't seem like a good person. He might look cute, but his smile makes me uncomfortable."
Ethan stopped what he was doing and smiled, a complex expression on his face. "You wouldn't understand."
"How wouldn't I? How long have you known him? You're 21, and he's 17."
"I met him when he was 12," Ethan said softly, "Five years ago."
The assistant was speechless. "12? Err… Boss, are you sure it was appropriate to meet him at 12? You shouldn't say this outside for others to hear."
Ethan didn't respond and continued stirring the soup.
The familiar aroma reminded him of last night's events and how Liam Hayes saved Jack Brown's career. Maybe he's not as useless as others think.
"Never mind," Ethan said, shaking his head. "The Hayes family might send someone to oversee the restaurant. I'll leave it to you to manage. I'll drop by when I'm free."
The assistant shrugged.
Just then, the waiter rushed in again, out of breath. "Boss, there are cars parked outside, it looks like they're here for you!"
Ethan's brow furrowed. "What kind of cars?"
"I'm not sure... but one of them is a G-class SUV. All three cars have the same license plate prefix; 'FORREST'."
The atmosphere in the kitchen turned icy. The assistant was still confused, but Ethan slammed down his spatula, his face turning cold.
"...Forrest?" he repeated softly, a cold smile spreading across his face.
"Yes, what a coincidence! You also have the surname Forrest," the waiter said innocently.
Ethan gave him a cold glance. "Shut up and go back to work."
He took off his apron and grabbed his coat. "I'm stepping out. I'll leave the restaurant to you, Ralph."
The assistant hesitated, wanting to ask questions, but was silenced by the cold glint in Ethan's eyes.
This wasn't just any guest. This was family.
There was a white luxury car in the middle of two black cars that were likely filled with bodyguards outside, the entire street fell silent for a few seconds.
Ethan recognized it at a glance; it was his grandfather's car. If his father had come, the car would have been a deep blue luxury car.
The white car meant that the old man himself had come.
The car door opened, and Old Forrest's laughter echoed out. The laughter was low and powerful, carrying the weight of authority.
"Ha! Little Ethan, it's been a while since we last met. Have you forgotten about your grandfather?"
Ethan smiled faintly and stepped into the car.
The interior was like a private plane, with a table set with his favorite black cherries and the aroma of tea.
"Are you here to see me or put me in trouble in this small rural neighborhood?" Ethan asked, his voice light but with a hint of sharpness.
The old man chuckled, his laughter deepening the lines on his face. "You always had a sharp tongue. Can't a grandfather even visit his grandson?"
Ethan turned to look out the window as the scenery slowly passed by, the car had already left the community and was now in motion driving to nowhere.
"You're being too formal, bringing three cars with you."
Before he could finish, the car's screen lit up.
On the screen was the current head of the Forrest family, King Forrest, Ethan's father, sitting in his study. His eyes were still cold and piercing, as if he could see right through everything.
"Ethan," his father said, his voice low. "Tonight, you'll attend Old Mr. Jude's birthday banquet with the rest of us. I wanted to know what formal attire you wanted the servants to get ready."
"Which banquet?" Ethan asked calmly.
"The Jude family, the Patriarch, Old Jude. You used to like their embroidery when you were young."
Old Forest chuckled and added, "I remember you taking a piece of embroidery from one of their granddaughters and using it as a pocket square. She chased you for two blocks."
Ethan didn't smile, merely replying, "I'll go. But I won't be with you all."
"You?" his father narrowed his eyes. "You plan to go alone?"
"Yes."
"Then let Captain J prepare one of the masks for you."
Ethan's brow furrowed, and he coldly replied, "I don't need one."
The atmosphere in the car turned icy. His father raised his chin. "No mask? You're the heir to the Forrest family. The world wants to see your face that they have never seen before. Are you going to expose yourself to the public this way?"
Ethan's eyes darkened. "They wouldn't know it's me."
"Fine!" his father snapped. "Then you will take a companion."
Ethan smiled, a hint of disdain in his voice. "You mean Mr. Oswald's daughter?"
"At least she has the qualifications as an heiress. And she has been dying to see your father."
"I said I won't accept any arranged marriage," Ethan coldly interrupted.
His father's voice turned sharp. "Then prove you can stand on your own with your skills! If your restaurant can't make a name for itself, don't blame me for rearranging your life."
"Fine, but will not be going with her because I already have a companion—Liam Hayes. It's his maternal grandfather after all," Ethan said nonchalantly, reaching out to turn off the screen.
"If that's all, I'd like to get off."
"Ethan…."
The video cut off, leaving an awkward tension in the air.
Old Forest sighed and gestured for the driver to stop the car. "Your father is too rigid, but you shouldn't be too stubborn either."
"Stubborn? That's called making a choice," Ethan said, opening the car door calmly.
Just then, a phone buzzed in his pocket. He frowned; it was Liam Hayes' phone. He hadn't returned it last night.
The screen showed an unknown number calling.
Ethan hesitated for two seconds before answering.
On the other end, a young and cold voice spoke, tinged with sarcasm and suppressed emotion. "Adrian Cross? Hello? Am I speaking to Adrian Cross?"
Ethan's eyebrows twitched slightly. Who was that? Who was Adrian Cross?
"Can you hear me?" the voice on the other end lowered, almost angry. "You...you stole my life."
Ethan's ears sharpened.
"Do you think I don't know who you are? Speak up! Don't you know who I am, this is Lilian!"
The line went dead with a click. Ethan ended the call. His fingers hung stiffly by his side.
That name….. "Lilian." The name he detested the most.
Liam Hayes would often say to himself in front of the mirror, "Lilian would be more beautiful," with a tone and expression that seemed to erase his true self. He wanted to be a Lilian when he was naturally and fatefully a Liam!
And that "she" was a phantom in Ethan's mind that he disliked the most. He didn't want to see it, hear it, or even be reminded of it.
"I will find my way from here, Grandfather," Ethan said without looking back, shutting the car door behind him.
As the car door closed, the white vehicle slowly drove away, disappearing into the traffic.
The wind blew by, and Ethan pulled out his own phone.
The screen lit up. It was a call.
[Butler Ray]
He answered. "Hello?"
A rough but respectful voice came from the other end, "Mr. Ethan, I'm at the restaurant now. Where are you? The young master has a message for you."