Holden watched Sadie cradle Adele, and his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

He could sense something was amiss from the way they were both behaving. He turned over what Adele had just said in his mind, fathoming what she could have meant.

Suddenly, he became aware that Adele was crying and calling him. He snapped out of his thoughts. He quickly took Adele to his arms and comforted her cries. Then, he turned to Sadie and said, “I’ll take her upstairs to wash up.”

Sadie didn’t dare to object.

With Adele snuggled in his arms, sniffling occasionally, Holden carried her upstairs to clean her up. While washing, he squatted down and asked gently, “Adele, how much cake did you eat just now?”

Adele kept her head down and remained silent, twiddling her tiny fingers. Holden tried again softly and gently.

you a lot to eat? Is that why you didn’t want to

up, her expression passive as she played with the buttons on her shirt as

and persuade her to speak as gently as he could, but Adele remained

wiped Adele’s face, washed his hands, and

Holden’s heart to skip a beat, prompting him to kneel before her and inquire, “Adele, what did

Adele fell silent once more. Despite Holden’s persistent inquiries, she refused to speak, merely extending her arms

“down” implied a trip to the

toddled to the desk to retrieve his phone. Her wide, expectant

proffered the device to

himself unable to resist that beseeching gaze. He crouched down, his fingers tenderly grazing Adele’s

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