Rule of 3s

Patrick lamented.

Eventually, he recovered from his trance and asked, "But sir, I'm still confused. I'm sure that there's something that your daughter likes other than sweets and pastries. Why did you deliberately choose to make a bakery, when it's such a complicated art?"

Henry glanced at Patrick in the side-mirror before replying, "Patrick. Do you know about the rules of 3s on the battlefield?"

Patrick's expression turned serious, "Sir, yes, sir! The rule of 3s are as follows—3 minutes without oxygen before dying, 3 weeks without food before dying, and 3 hours without shelter before dying to the elements."

Henry shook his head, "You missed something there."

"What is it?"

"It's 3 days to understand the enemy after the first engagement before dying."

"..."

"Sir, are you perhaps referring to your daughter?" Patrick asked in doubt.

"Yes." Henry simply nodded.

Then, why are you thinking of your daughter as if she's your enemy on the battlefield?!

Patrick screamed in his heart, but he didn't dare to voice out his thoughts.

However, Henry seemed to have seen through him as he said, "You must be thinking as to why I'm treating my daughter as if she's my enemy, right?"

"Hahaha, let me explain..."

"It's because I've been a soldier my entire life except for my childhood days, the battlefield has always been my playground."

"I don't really know how to raise a child, so I'm going to do this my own way—the way I'm most familiar with." Henry smiled.

Patrick stared at Henry's back from the backseat and his admiration for Henry turned from 'being scared of his authority' to 'genuinely respecting him in his heart'.

"Sir, I'm just curious. Did you purposely raise the commission and chose your wife to be the agent, so she can get a hefty sum from it?"

"Yeah, that's a no-brainer. I'm sure I don't have to explain to you why a direct donation wouldn't work, right?"

"Yes..." Patrick nodded.

The vibe that Christine was giving had a tinge of nobility and pride. Although Patrick hadn't read the files that he had given to Henry, it was still obvious that Christine had a higher pedigree than an average woman. In short, he wasn't just a rose without thorns.

If Henry gave her money and said that he was her husband that had disappeared for five whole years, Christine wouldn't probably buy it.

And for trying to impersonate her husband that she already considered as 'dead' in her mind, she would probably do her best to never cross paths with Henry. Once that happened, then it would be game over. Henry would probably never have the chance to be with her in the future, nor get close to their daughter.

Once Patrick received his answer, he didn't speak anymore.

That afternoon, Henry bought some sweets and pastries with him as he returned to Mahalina Residential Area where his daughter and wife lived for five whole years.

Approaching room 123 at Block 69, Lot 42... Henry started to slow down his footsteps. For some reason, this God of Destruction was starting to get nervous. Glancing at his watch, it was already 6 PM. He was certain that Christine would already be in her home at this time after fetching her daughter from the elementary school.

Damn, I've never been this nervous since I disguised as an Inspector for the Black Organization...

Henry couldn't help but bitterly smile as he climbed the stairwell.

As he reached the next turn to the hallway where Room 123 was located, Henry suddenly stopped in his tracks. He took a peek and saw a little girl standing at the opposite end of the hallway. She seemed to be facing the wall as if she was waiting for something.

Henry furrowed his brows. Is that my daughter?

He stopped hiding and started to walk in the hallway.

Henry could feel his heart violently pounding against his chest.

But eventually, he returned to hiding.

He got too scared of approaching his daughter.

What the hell am I doing?

Henry stared at himself, not knowing whether to laugh or to cry.

How should I introduce myself? Uh... Should I just go and approach her and say that I'm his father? No, that's not going to work... My wife probably told her that I'm gone to a land far away, or maybe she told her that I'm already dead...

Until I know for sure as to what is my status quo that my wife told my daughter, I can't possibly go up there and introduce myself to her as her father!

Damn it...

After ten whole minutes of hesitation, a face suddenly stuck out from the hallway.

It was the face of a four or five-year-old girl in a pink one-piece dress.

She was staring at him with her large beady eyes and her eyebrows in a frown.

Could she be...

Henry felt as if he was struck by a thunderbolt from the skies. He nearly screamed in excitement as his heartbeat sped up. All of a sudden, he had the urge to bring this young lass into his embrace and shower her with kisses.

"What are you doing here, Uncle?" The young lass cautiously asked, "Are you one of those sharky-sharky people that's always bothering Mommy?"

Sharky-sharky people? Henry muttered to himself.

"I'm not one of the bad people, kid..." Henry suppressed his tumultuous emotions as he crouched down, and using the gentlest tone that he could possibly muster, he asked, "You're quite a smart young lass. How come you're outside?"

The young girl gave a proud smile, "Of course, I'm smart! I'm the smartest in the entire kindergarten."

Henry nodded her head and asked again, "You just said that there are sharky-sharky people bothering your Mommy? Are there any bad people that are out there to harm your Mommy?"

"Mmhm! Mmmhm!" The young lass nodded her head furiously, "I'm outside the house because Uncle is back again!"

"He's inside the house right now and every time he comes, Mommy is always crying... She'll often hide away and don't come out of the room for so long..."

"That Uncle is a bad person, I don't like him!" She puffed her cheeks and pouted, "I really want to grow up soon, so I can protect Mommy!"

Henry watched as the young lass acted wiser beyond her age.

Seeing her trying her best to grow up faster, so she could protect her mother...

Henry was filled with bitterness and sorrow.

Then, all of a sudden...

A loud smacking sound rang out from within Room 123.

Smack!

Sounds of arguing and things violently crashing onto the floor also echoed from within Christine Ayala's home. The sounds seemed to be familiar to the young lass as she became scared to the point of going pale as she scurried to hide behind Henry.

"Uncle is hitting Mommy again. I'm scared..."

WHAT?!

Henry's pupils narrowed.

The young lass said the word, "Uncle".

Was that person from the Ayala family?

But didn't they already disown Christine? Why were they bothering her?

What right do they have to bully her for more?!

Henry was furious.

He stood up and extended a hand to the young lass without looking at her, "It's okay, little girl... Uncle is here to protect you."

"Let's go in there and protect Mommy together, okay?"

"Okay!" The young lass's expression brightened with joy.

But Henry's expression was the complete opposite.

The reason why he didn't look at the young lass when he stood up was that he was afraid that she might see what he looked like right now.

As Henry started walking down the hallway towards Room 123, his handsome facial features were distorted with anger.

The next thing he knew, his fury had already burst forth from every pore on his body.

Those that dare to harm my wife shall die!