Chapter 116: Decision Made

Later that afternoon, Evelyn drove to Nora’s school.

She parked in the designated area and waited for the students to be dismissed. Before long, Nora emerged from the school building, accompanied by Alexa.

When Nora spotted her mother, her face brightened.

"Mom!"

Evelyn smiled and waved at the little girl.

Nora hurried over, with Alexa following close behind.

"Mom, what are you doing here today?" Nora asked.

"I wanted to pick you up myself." Evelyn gently adjusted a strand of hair that had fallen across her daughter’s forehead. "Is that a problem?"

"No!" Nora shook her head. "I’m happy."

Alexa smiled at the sight.

"Good afternoon, Auntie Evelyn."

Evelyn turned toward her. "Good afternoon. Alexa, right? How was school?"

"It was fine."

Before Evelyn could continue, a man approached them from the nearby parking area.

"Alexa."

Richard had arrived to pick up his daughter.

"Dad!" Alexa greeted him before turning back toward Evelyn. "Dad, this is Nora’s mother."

Richard looked at Evelyn, then offered a polite smile. "It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Richard."

Evelyn returned the greeting. "Likewise. I’m Evelyn."

Richard nodded. "Alexa has mentioned Nora more than a few times. I’m glad they’ve become friends."

"So am I," Evelyn replied warmly. "Nora enjoys spending time with her."

The two exchanged a few more pleasantries while the girls stood nearby.

Evelyn had heard Nora mention Richard before, but this was the first time she had met him in person. He seemed polite enough, though there was something reserved about him that made her feel he preferred to keep his personal affairs private.

She didn’t think much of it. After saying goodbye to Richard and Alexa, Evelyn took Nora to the car.

On the drive home, Nora chatted about her day, occasionally mentioning things Alexa had said during their break. Evelyn listened with a smile, asking questions whenever something caught her interest. By the time they arrived home, Nora was still talking.

Evelyn shook her head, amused. "You certainly have a lot to say today."

"That’s because you weren’t there this morning," Nora replied. "I have to tell you everything now."

Evelyn laughed. "All right. Tell me everything after you finish your assignments."

Nora pouted. "Now?"

"Yeah."

With a resigned sigh, Nora headed inside to begin her homework.

Ethan had returned home earlier, and he was waiting for them when they arrived. After greeting Evelyn, he helped bring a few things inside before settling down for the evening.

Nora quickly changed out of her school uniform and sat at the table to work on her assignments. Evelyn, meanwhile, went out onto the balcony to water the plants.

Ethan joined her for a short while, watching as she carefully watered each pot.

The evening sunlight cast a warm glow over the balcony, and the gentle sound of water falling onto the soil filled the quiet space.

For a moment, Ethan simply stood beside her. Then his thoughts returned to Lucas.

Three days had passed since their conversation at the restaurant.

He still remembered the way Lucas had spoken about his wife. The man had tried to remain composed, but beneath his usual confidence was a sadness he could barely conceal.

Lucas had the money, influence, and resources to seek treatment at some of the best hospitals. Yet none of it had been enough to solve his wife’s infertility.

And now, Ethan possessed something that might change everything.

The Fertility Pill.

He had considered the matter from several angles. He didn’t know whether the system’s rewards came with hidden conditions, but the pill had been described as a complete cure for infertility.

He had no reason to believe the system would deliberately give him a useless reward.

Still, accepting that possibility wasn’t the same as understanding how the pill worked.

’What if there’s something I haven’t considered?’

Ethan’s expression turned thoughtful.

’I’ve seen enough strange things since receiving this system to know that I can’t judge its rewards by ordinary standards. But Lucas is my friend. If I give him the pill and something goes wrong, I’ll never forgive myself.’

He glanced toward Evelyn.

She was focused on the plants, occasionally moving a pot to make sure the water reached the soil properly.

Ethan’s gaze softened.

He understood why Lucas had refused to abandon his wife. He couldn’t imagine leaving Evelyn simply because she was unable to give him a child. Even if they faced such a problem, he would never consider replacing her with someone else.

Perhaps that was why Lucas’s situation had bothered him so much.

Ethan returned his attention to the matter at hand.

’But what happens if I keep the pill to myself? Lucas and his wife will continue living with the same uncertainty. They’ll keep hoping for a solution that might never come, even though I may already have the means to help them.’

He exhaled slowly.

There was no way to eliminate every risk. He could investigate the system’s rewards for as long as he wanted, but some questions would remain unanswered until he actually used them.

Besides, the system had awarded him the pill after he completed a mission involving the family’s dispute. Now, he had encountered someone whose family was suffering from a problem the pill was supposedly designed to solve.

The timing was too convenient to ignore.

’Perhaps this is exactly what the system intended.’

He wasn’t going to pretend he understood the system’s motives. It had demonstrated enough unusual behavior to make him cautious, and he knew better than to assume that every reward was as simple as it appeared.

Nevertheless, he had to make a decision.

Ethan looked toward the living room, where Nora was bent over her assignments, occasionally pausing to think before writing something down.

Then he glanced at Evelyn again.

His family was safe. Their business was growing, and for the first time in a long while, he was beginning to enjoy the ordinary moments that came with having a home.

He didn’t want to take unnecessary risks with any of that. But helping Lucas didn’t mean he had to put his own family in danger.

The pill would be given to Lucas’s wife, and Ethan would make sure they understood the situation before she used it. He would also keep a close eye on the outcome.

It was a gamble.

There was still a possibility that he had overlooked something, and the uncertainty bothered him more than he wanted to admit.

Yet the potential reward was worth considering.

If the pill worked as promised, Lucas’s wife would finally have a chance to conceive. Lucas would no longer have to watch the woman he loved blame herself for something beyond her control.

And Ethan would have helped a friend who had stood by him without asking for anything in return.

He made up his mind.

’All right. I’ll give Lucas the pill.’

His expression relaxed slightly. ’It’s a gamble, but if it works, the reward will be worth it.’

Evelyn finished watering the last plant and turned toward him.

"What are you thinking about?"

Ethan looked at her, then smiled.

"Nothing much. Just something I need to take care of."

She studied him for a moment before nodding. "All right. Don’t forget to come inside. Dinner will be ready soon."

"I won’t."

Evelyn returned indoors, leaving Ethan alone on the balcony for another moment.

He took out his phone and looked at Lucas’s contact. He didn’t call him just yet.

Instead, he slipped the phone back into his pocket and gazed out over the city. The decision had been made.

Now, all that remained was to see whether the system’s reward would deliver on its promise.