2026-07-31 06:46:50The kitchen fell silent.
Every pair of eyes was fixed on Ethan.
Only the sound of his knife echoed through the room.
Slice.
Slice.
Slice.
His movements were smooth and effortless, as if he had spent his entire life in a professional kitchen.
The chefs exchanged confused looks.
A moment ago, they had doubted him.
Now, they couldn’t even take their eyes off him.
Barnes folded his arms, trying to hide the uneasiness growing inside him.
“It’s just knife skills,” he said with a scoff.
“Anyone can learn a few tricks.”
None of the chefs answered him.
One of the senior chefs, a man named Oliver, quietly shook his head.
“No.”
“Those aren’t tricks.”
Barnes frowned.
“What do you mean?”
Oliver kept watching Ethan.
“I’ve been cooking for twenty-eight years.”
“I’ve worked in five-star hotels.”
“I’ve competed against chefs from all over the country.”
“I’ve only seen knife control like this once.”
Barnes looked surprised.
“Where?”
“On television.”
“During an international cooking competition.”
Barnes laughed.
“You’re exaggerating.”
Oliver didn’t respond.
His attention remained on Ethan.
…
Ethan gently cleaned the fresh shrimp before placing them on a tray.
Next came the scallops.
Then the mussels.
Every ingredient was handled with care.
Nothing was rushed.
Nothing was wasted.
He checked the freshness of every piece before deciding which ones to use.
The chefs watched quietly.
One young cook whispered,
“He’s choosing ingredients the same way our former head chef used to.”
Another nodded.
“No…”
“He’s even more careful.”
Barnes rolled his eyes.
“So what?”
“Good ingredients don’t mean good food.”
Ethan heard him but didn’t respond.
Instead, he reached for a small pot.
He added butter.
The butter slowly melted.
A rich smell filled the kitchen.
Then came chopped onions.
Garlic.
A little olive oil.
The sizzling sound made several chefs smile without realizing it.
Oliver’s eyes widened.
“He isn’t rushing.”
“He’s building the flavor.”
Another chef nodded.
“Most people throw everything into the pan.”
“He’s taking his time.”
The smell became even stronger.
Even the waiters standing outside the kitchen door began looking inside.
One of them whispered,
“That smells amazing.”
A waitress laughed softly.
“I’m getting hungry.”
Barnes looked annoyed.
“It’s only garlic.”
“Anyone can make garlic smell good.”
Ethan calmly poured in Arborio rice.
He stirred it gently.
Every grain became coated with butter.
Then he added white stock a little at a time.
Not too much.
Not too little.
The rice slowly absorbed the liquid.
Oliver couldn’t help smiling.
“Perfect.”
“What?”
“He isn’t boiling the rice.”
“He’s feeding it.”
Barnes frowned.
“What difference does that make?”
Oliver looked at him.
“If you pour everything in at once…”
“The rice loses its texture.”
“But adding stock little by little keeps it creamy while the center stays firm.”
Barnes stayed quiet.
He didn’t know enough about cooking to argue.
…
Meanwhile…
Outside in the dining hall…
Mr. Harrison checked his watch.
Manager Lewis stood nearby with a nervous expression.
“I’m sorry for making you wait again.”
Mr. Harrison looked toward the kitchen.
“I’ve already waited over an hour.”
“Another few minutes won’t matter.”
He paused before asking,
“Tell me honestly.”
“Can your new owner really cook?”
Manager Lewis hesitated.
“I…”
“I’ve never seen him cook before today.”
Mr. Harrison smiled faintly.
“Interesting.”
“I’ve been in business for forty years.”
“I’ve learned one thing.”
Manager Lewis listened carefully.
“People who stay calm under pressure usually have something special.”
“I hope your new owner is one of them.”
…
Back in the kitchen…
Ethan added the seafood.
The shrimp curled perfectly.
The scallops turned golden.
The mussels slowly opened.
Steam rose into the air.
The smell spread through the restaurant.
Customers began looking around.
One woman called over a waiter.
“What is that smell?”
“I’m sorry, ma’am.”
“I’m not sure.”
“It smells wonderful.”
Several other customers nodded.
Even people walking past the restaurant slowed down.
The aroma drifted outside the entrance.
A couple stopped walking.
“Should we eat here?”
“I wasn’t planning to…”
“But whatever they’re cooking smells incredible.”
Inside, the dining room slowly became busier.
Manager Lewis noticed it immediately.
He smiled for the first time that afternoon.
…
Barnes wasn’t smiling anymore.
He watched Ethan carefully.
Something didn’t feel right.
This wasn’t luck.
This wasn’t someone pretending to know how to cook.
Every movement showed confidence.
Every decision made sense.
For the first time, Barnes wondered if he had underestimated him.
Impossible…
He quickly pushed the thought away.
“No.”
“Cooking isn’t only about smell.”
“The taste is what matters.”
…
Ethan picked up a small spoon.
He tasted the risotto.
Then he added a pinch of sea salt.
A little black pepper.
Fresh parmesan.
Finally…
A small piece of butter.
He gently stirred everything together.
The creamy texture became smooth and glossy.
Oliver couldn’t help clapping once.
“Beautiful.”
Everyone looked at him.
He smiled awkwardly.
“Sorry.”
“I’ve just never seen risotto made this well.”
One of the younger chefs whispered,
“It looks like art.”
Ethan placed the risotto neatly onto a white plate.
He arranged the shrimp and scallops with care.
He added the mussels around the edge.
Finally…
He placed a small green herb on top.
Simple.
Elegant.
Perfect.
The entire kitchen became silent.
No one spoke.
No one moved.
They simply stared at the finished dish.
Barnes walked closer.
He looked down at the plate.
Even he had to admit…
It looked flawless.
Still, he refused to accept defeat.
“It looks nice.”
“But looks don’t matter.”
“The customer has to like it.”
Ethan smiled calmly.
“Then let’s find out.”
He picked up the plate himself.
“I’ll serve him.”
Manager Lewis quickly opened the kitchen door.
Every employee stepped aside as Ethan walked through the restaurant carrying the dish.
Customers turned to watch him.
Some quietly admired the food.
Others wondered why such a young man was personally serving a table.
Mr. Harrison looked up as Ethan approached.
Without saying a word, Ethan gently placed the plate in front of him.
A rich aroma immediately filled the air around the table.
Mr. Harrison looked down at the dish.
His eyes slowly widened.
He had eaten seafood risotto in famous restaurants around the world.
Italy.
France.
Singapore.
Dubai.
Yet…
This plate looked every bit as good as those prepared by world-class chefs.
He picked up his spoon.
The restaurant became completely silent.
Every employee held their breath.
Barnes folded his arms.
His heart beat faster than he wanted to admit.
Everything depended on this single bite.
Mr. Harrison scooped up a small spoonful.
He slowly placed it into his mouth.
The moment he tasted it…
His eyes suddenly opened wide.
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Chapter 146: The Woman Who Was Never Sophia
The blade pointed at Ethan’s throat.He did not move.The woman sitting across the table watched him with eyes that held centuries of anger, though she looked no older than twenty-five.“Tell me,” she repeated. “Why did you steal my name?”Ethan glanced at the system message still floating above the table.[FOUNDATIONAL VICTIM: IDENTIFIED.][NAME: SOPHIA.][STATUS: DECEASED BEFORE FIRST CREATION.][CAUSE OF DEATH: UNKNOWN.]The woman followed his gaze.“That thing has always been a liar.”“Then tell me your name.”She laughed bitterly.“You still think a name is something you can demand.”“No. I think it’s something you have the right to give me.”The blade stopped moving.For the first time, uncertainty crossed her face.Ethan continued carefully.“I don’t know who you are. I don’t know what happened between us. And I won’t pretend I remember something I don’t. But if you believe I took your name, I need to understand why.”She studied him.“Do you remember the first woman you loved?
Chapter 145: The Million Lives He Could Not Remember
The screams did not stop.They came from every direction, pouring through the doors that had appeared across the white space. Some were filled with rage. Others carried the terror of people who had waited too long for someone to remember them.And some were silent.Those were the worst.Ethan stood motionless as millions of faces stared at him.He recognized none of them.Yet every time he looked into someone’s eyes, something inside him recoiled as if it remembered being responsible for their pain.The boy lay at his feet.The silver blade had shattered, leaving a dark wound in his chest. Blood spread beneath him, but the wound did not close.Ethan dropped beside him.“Stay with me.”The boy looked up at him.“You’re doing it again.”Ethan froze.“What?”“You’re looking at me like saving me will make everything else disappear.”Ethan glanced at the doors.The faces behind them were still screaming.“I won’t let you die.”The boy closed his eyes.“That’s what you said before.”Ethan s
Chapter 144: The Boy Who Died Before Creation
Ethan couldn’t breathe.The boy kneeling in the white space had his face.Not a resemblance. Not another version of him created by the machine. Not an alternate possibility that had taken a different path.It was Ethan.The same eyes. The same mouth. The same small scar beneath the left eyebrow that had appeared after his reconstruction. Even the way the boy held his shoulders, as if preparing for a blow he knew was coming, was painfully familiar.But the boy was younger.And there was a blade buried in his chest.Ethan stared at the blood spreading across the white floor.“No.”The boy looked at him.“You said that before.”Ethan took a step forward.“No, I didn’t.”“You did.”The boy’s voice was weak, but there was no confusion in it.“You said you weren’t going to let me die.”Ethan stopped.Behind the boy, the original First Choice stood silently, watching them with an expression that was almost satisfied.Noah struggled to move toward Ethan.“Don’t listen to him,” he said.The si
Chapter 143: The Choice That Should Never Have Existed
Noah screamed.Ethan had heard people scream in pain. He had heard them scream in fear, in anger, and in the final moments before death.This was different.Noah’s scream came from somewhere deeper than the body. It tore through the white space beyond the beginning and reached every reality connected to the original agreement.For one terrible moment, every world went silent.Then the doors in the Hall of Unchosen Lives began slamming shut.One after another.Thousands became hundreds. Hundreds became dozens. Behind each closing door, a possibility lost its connection to the world that had allowed it to exist.Ethan stood before the silver door, his hand still pressed against its surface.“Noah!”He struck the door with his fist.“Open!”The door did not move.A system message appeared before him.[COMPLETE AUTHORITY RESTORATION: 100%.][THE ORIGINAL AGREEMENT HAS BEEN REACTIVATED.][FOUNDATIONAL AUTHORITY: FIRST CHOICE.][ENDING AUTHORITY: FIRST ENDING.][WITNESS AUTHORITY: UNRECOGNI
Chapter 142: The First Sin Was Mine
For several seconds, Ethan forgot how to breathe.The child stood beside the little girl, holding her hand as though they had known each other for years. His face was identical to Ethan’s, but his eyes carried a sadness that did not belong to any child.He pointed at Ethan.“The first betrayal was committed by someone who wanted to make sure you could never choose freely.”Then he said the words that shattered the silence.“That person was you.”Ethan stared at him.“No.”The child did not look away.“You don’t remember.”“I remember the first choice. I remember the white room. I remember leaving the girl behind.”“Those are the memories you were allowed to keep.”The child’s voice was quiet.“But you don’t remember what happened before the white room existed.”Caelum stepped forward.“Who are you?”The child turned toward him.“You know who I am.”Caelum’s face went pale.“No. You were destroyed before the First World began.”“That’s what you were told.”“I watched Sophia end your ex
Chapter 141: The Woman Who Taught Death to Choose
Ethan could not move.The woman stood at the end of the corridor with one hand resting on the little girl’s shoulder. Her face was calm, almost gentle, but the words she had spoken continued to echo in his mind.I am the reason you were never supposed to become human.Behind Ethan, the stranger who had called her Mother remained motionless.The little girl clutched her drawing against her chest.Nobody spoke.Then Ethan took a careful step forward.“What do you mean?”The woman studied him.“You have spent your entire existence trying to understand what you are. You have searched through memories, questioned authorities, and challenged every rule that threatened someone you wanted to protect.”She paused.“But you have never asked the most important question.”Ethan’s voice was tight.“Which is?”“Why did you need to become human in the first place?”He stared at her.“I was created to experience a life.”“By whom?”“Adam.”“Adam created the conditions that allowed your existence. He
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