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.

Approaching 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.

Holden stood frozen, his astonishment palpable. Adele's response had caught him off guard. A seasoned warrior on the battlefield of business, he felt a subtle tremor in his hands, a tremor born of excitement. The urge to embrace Adele was strong, but he restrained himself, not wanting to startle her fragile composure. Instead, he pulled his daughter close in a delicate embrace.

"Easy now, my dear. You must be starving after going for so long without something to eat. Allow Daddy to get you something to eat," he murmured.

As Holden held Adele close, his words triggered a realization as profound as a deep ocean current. Cooking, he mused, was an artful tapestry.

With utmost care, he settled Adele on his lap, his eyes locked on her as she obediently took each morsel he offered. Gradually, her dainty fingers gripped his, guiding the food to her mouth.

Watching Adele eat like that stirred a warmth within Holden that was satisfying. Patiently, he continued feeding her until the last crumb of the cake had vanished, and her glass stood empty. As her emotions steadied into a tranquil sea, she leaned against him and slipped into sleep's gentle embrace.

With a slightly awkward grace, Holden held Adele, Lulling her into a deep sleep.

Exhaustion stealthily crept on the little girl in the wake of all the turmoil.

As he watched his daughter finally surrender to peaceful rest, Holden exhaled a sigh that seemed to carry the weight of a hundred burdens.

Gently, he laid Adele down on her bed, his steps as quiet as a whisper, and exited the room on tiptoe.

Retrieving his phone, Holden sent an image of the skewed cupcake to the woman with the avatar of a blue flower.