In Adele’s room, Devin and the doctor stood with a sense of helplessness beside the bed, coaxing the
little girl to emerge from her hiding spot underneath.
“Adele, it’s very safe out here. Can you come out, please?” 2
Witnessing this, Holden’s heartstrings tightened. Ever since their return from the company event,
Adele’s emotions had been unpredictable, marked by sporadic outbursts of tears without apparent
reasons. The doctor remained unable to pinpoint the cause, yet today, Adele had retreated beneath the
bed, adamantly refusing to reappear.
Recalling the doctor’s advice suggesting that Holden’s direct comfort might offer solace, he resolved to
prepare something dear to her heart.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt“Adele, look what Daddy made for you!” Holden’s words caressed as he approached her bedside,
cradling the slightly skewed pink cupcake adorned with a rabbit’s face.
“I know you love bunnies the most.”
Although the amateurishly decorated pink cupcake he held bore resemblance to a misshapen rabbit, its
essence remained intact.
Adele lay silent and unmoving, ensconced in a fetal curl beneath the bed. 3
Disheartened, Holden set the small cake on the floor and retreated to the hallway for a consultation
with the doctor.
“It appears that something or someone has greatly distressed Adele,” the doctor illuminated.
“Her treatment plan needs adjustment, but medication is not the answer for someone so young,” the
doctor further explained. He then urged, “As I recommended before, the children’s charity I suggested
previously has achieved remarkable success with cases like this. I truly believe you should take Adele
there.”
Holden frowned, mulling over the suggestion.
Following his conversation with the doctor, Holden reentered Adele’s room.
To his astonishment, she had emerged from beneath the bed and was now kneeling beside the
cupcake, her gaze fixed intently upon it.
A mixture of shock and elation flooded Holden as he realized that this approach had indeed yielded
results. He had come across a video by a blogger where animal-shaped cakes were employed to
engage children, prompting him to try it out.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmApproaching cautiously, Holden crouched down beside her.
“Do you like it?” he inquired hopefully.
As always, Adele offered no response, her attention unwaveringly locked onto the treat before her.
As he examined his amateurishly decorated creation, Holden had to concede that the lopsided cake
bore a rather pitiable appearance.
Yet, he bestowed a tender smile upon his daughter, his gentle fingers brushing the red, swollen spot on
her forehead—a reminder of where she had inadvertently bumped it during a previous episode.
“This was Daddy’s first try, so it’s not perfect. But I promise to bake you an even better one next time,”
he assured, his words infused with self-encouragement.
To his astonishment, Adele turned her head to meet his gaze and offered a slight, concurring nod.