Thank You For Raising Such a Sensible Daughter

Henry was eating his lunch when he received a report from Patrick that his wife had gone home early from work.

And that her condition looked bad.

It seemed as if she had gotten into a fight with someone.

Henry immediately put the chopsticks down and stared at Patrick who was sitting close to him.

"Do you know who she was fighting against and the reason why they were fighting?"

Patrick shook his head. "Unfortunately, the intelligence team wasn't able to capture the scene of the fight since it happened in a cubicle that's not covered by the surveillance cameras that we have attached on the nearby stoplight. I've ordered the intelligence to investigate the matter even further. We should be able to get a report after an hour."

Patrick said with some nervousness on his face.

Henry waved his hand with a solemn look on his face.

Then, he stood up and wrapped an apron around his waist.

"Hand me the butcher knife." Henry coldly stated.

Patrick was suddenly afraid.

He stood up and slowly handed over the butcher knife.

"Why do you look like you have seen a ghost?" Henry asked.

"I-It's nothing, sir Henry... I was just."

"Oh, I see... I stood up since I am going to visit her myself. Tell the intelligence team to forget about that report. I am going to personally ask her about it." Henry casually stated. "Can you hand me over the meat that I have quartered in the refrigerator? I've heard from the reports that my wife likes sweet braised pork."

"You can make sweet braised pork, sir?" Patrick asked in hesitation.

Henry stared at him with a frown. "Am I that incompetent that I can't even cook such a simple meal?"

"N-N-No, that's not what I meant, sir!" Patrick hurriedly apologized.

"It's fine... I just have to prove you otherwise with my actions." Henry replied.

Seeing that Henry had turned his back towards him, Patrick took the quartered meat out of the refrigerator and he noticed that Henry seemed to have prepared the meat beforehand. It was as if he had expected that something like this would happen today, so he prepared everything that he needed to console his wife.

Patrick was suddenly moved, and astonished at the same time.

But in the end, he didn't say anything as Henry started to prepare four portions of Sweet Braised Pork.

Two hours later, the portions were finally complete. Henry tasted them once and even Patrick reluctantly tried them.

"This..."

"It's good!" Patrick exclaimed in shock.

He just couldn't believe that the man who had struggled so much with mere cupcakes had the ability to create such a delicious meal like this.

"Is it?" Henry asked with a smile.

"Yes, sir... This is good! I'm not pulling your leg here. It's genuinely good!" Patrick exclaimed once more.

"All right, take that Tupperware with you."

"Hm? I thought this was for you and your family, sir Henry?"

"Didn't you see that I prepared four portions?" Henry smiled.

"S-Sir..." Patrick was evidently moved.

He took the Tupperware off the table and held it in his hands.

Patrick didn't know what to feel.

Henry didn't say anything anymore.

He left the house and drove directly to the Mahalina Residential Area.

Knocking on the doors of Christine's apartment, Christine's suspicious voice rang from behind the door.

"Who's there?"

"It's me, Christine..."

Christine's pupils constricted.

Henry?!

Why was he here?

Christine glanced at herself and discovered that she was wearing nothing but a chemise dress.

She wasn't even wearing her bra!

"S-S-Sir Henry! I'm sorry, but can you wait out there for a while? Give me three—no, five! No, ten minutes!"

Christine didn't even wait for Henry's reply as she immediately turned around and ran for the bedroom.

Hearing the panicked footsteps of Christine, Henry felt a sense of deja vu.

Still, he waited.

Fortunately, his daughter must be at school this time of the day, so there must be no accident—

Before Henry could even finish his thoughts, the door creaked open and Henry saw the figure of the young lass, Shy Shy.

"Shy Shy?" Henry asked in astonishment. "Why are you at home? Aren't you supposed to be in school today?"

"Mmhmm! I already went to school!" Shy Shy replied, "Uncle, come here inside. It's cold out there."

"Okay..." Henry walked into the room, but he didn't forget to warn Christine this time. "M-Miss Ayala, I'm inside."

"O-Oh..." Christine's muffled voice rang from behind the bedroom door.

She seemed to be still self-conscious about what had happened yesterday.

But she really wasn't to be blamed, after all. Any woman out there whose body was seen by a man in such a manner would feel self-conscious and embarrassed. Christine was never an exception to this rule. Furthermore, since she had given birth to a child. She was extra conscious of herself, afraid that Henry might think that her stretch marks from childbirth were disgusting.

This was something that Christine didn't want to happen.

After all, she was still a woman who loved to be beautiful and adored by people.

She was pretty vain herself. If not for the fact that she had given birth to a child, she would've been an actress by now.

"Uncle, Uncle! Are those the cupcakes that you gave me yesterday?" Shy Shy noticed the box of cupcakes in Henry's hand.

She immediately jumped and down in excitement.

"Yes, it's the same..." Henry smiled and placed the cupcake down the table.

Shy Shy was about to walk over to the refrigerator, but she was stopped by Henry who said, "Stay in the seat, I'll get it for you."

"Thanks, Uncle!" Shy Shy nodded in agreement.

She expressed her gratitude with an adorable smile that instantly melted Henry's heart.

'Goddamned it, she's too adorable!'

Henry rubbed the tip of his nose as he walked over to the refrigerator and fetched a glass of milk for Shy Shy.

When he returned with the glass of milk, Shy Shy was quick to take it from his hands.

After downing a quarter of the glass of milk, she munched on the pastries before her eyes suddenly gleamed in epiphany.

An excited look appeared on her face as she said, "Uncle! I'm going to let you in on a secret. Since you're so kind to Shy Shy, I'll let you know a secret that not even my teacher and Mommy know!" Cautiously looking around, Shy Shy then kneeled close to the couch before she took a piece of bond paper underneath it.

A sorrowful look was on her face as she presented the bond paper to Henry and said, "Look, Uncle! I drew my Daddy in a military uniform! He is holding a gun and the two people in pink are me and Mommy. I made him wear a military uniform because Mommy told me that the reason why Daddy hasn't come home yet is that he is on a mission for the country!"

"I'm really proud of Daddy... I'm so proud of Daddy!"

"When he comes back, Mommy won't be bullied by those sharky sharky people anymore. I also don't have to take the long way to the store anymore when Mommy wants me to buy soy sauce or salt because I'm afraid of the stray dogs! Max also won't have to ask about where my Daddy is anymore and the kids at school won't tell me that I am an orphan anymore..."

"I'm so excited waiting for Daddy's return that I drew him here, Uncle! Hehehe... How is it, Uncle?"

Henry's heart felt as if it had been crushed by a thousand hydraulic presses as he held the immature drawing yet passionate drawing in his hands. All the emotions that he had been suppressing all this while seemed to be threatening to burst forth as his eyes reddened. Staring at the drawing and recalling Shy Shy's words, Henry suddenly felt thankful to Christine and the backstory that she had created for him.

"Uncle... Why are you crying?" Shy Shy asked with her big watery eyes.

Christine had come out of her room and saw the bloodshot look in Henry's eyes.

She couldn't help but ask in concern.

"Sir Henry, are you all right?"

Henry lifted his head and stared right at Christine.

"Thank you,"

Two words were what he could utter after all these years.

After all the years that Christine painstakingly spent raising their daughter...

Henry felt too grateful for her actions that he had no idea how he should express his gratitude to her.

"What are you thanking me for, sir Henry?" Christine asked in confusion.

Henry smiled.

He glanced at Shy Shy and replied, "Thank you for raising such a sensible daughter."

The corner of Christine's lips also raised into a smile.

"I don't deserve such gratitude, sir Henry. I am but a mother. It is natural for me to raise my daughter to the best of my abilities."

Her smile looked refreshing to the eyes.

The scene was incredibly picturesque.

Staring at her smile, Henry felt a sour sensation rise up his throat and his heart seemed to thump a beat faster.

'Christine... You sure are one tenacious and beautiful woman.'

Henry praised in his heart.