Estella sulked the entire way home. Ignoring Lucian, who trailed behind her, she dashed upstairs to her room without a backward glance. She slammed and locked the door angrily.

Catalina, waiting at the door when father and daughter arrived, noted Estella’s angry mood. Seeing the expressionless Lucian behind her, she realized they were again at odds.

“Mr. Farwell,” she asked, “what has angered Ms. Estella?”

Hearing the loud door slam upstairs, Catalina turned to Lucian with concern. Recalling the reason for Estella’s anger, he replied impassively, “Nothing. She’s throwing a tantrum. Look after her.”

Catalina nodded habitually. “Yes, sir.”

I wonder why Ms. Estella would lose her temper with Mr. Farwell, as she’s rarely expressive. Moreover, Mr. Farwell isn’t adept at comforting others. In short, they need a lady of the house.

Estella, angry only with Lucian, obediently opened her door when Catalina knocked.

“Ms. Estella, come eat something.”

Catalina brought a tray of Estella’s favorite food to her room. Alas, Estella lacked an appetite. After two bites, she pushed the plate away and sat gloomily at her desk.

Catalina’s heart ached for the girl. However, knowing this was a father-daughter matter, she felt unable to offer advice. She returned the food to the kitchen and, a few hours later, helped Estella shower.

After cleaning the bathroom, Catalina found Estella lying on her stomach, staring intently at her laptop. She wondered what the girl was doing, tapping so seriously on the keyboard. However, accustomed to Estella’s keyboard work, Catalina silently left the room after cleaning up, asking nothing.

Meanwhile, Roxanne was stuck in traffic with Archie and Benny. Archie and Benny sat silently in the back seat, occasionally exchanging glances and observing their mother’s expression in the rearview mirror. They didn’t know what had happened at kindergarten earlier, but they sensed her bad mood, even without her explanation.

“Mommy,” Benny said, “we made cards at kindergarten today! The teacher had us make them for the people we love, so Archie and I made one for you!”

Benny subtly nudged Archie to encourage him. Archie nodded. “Mommy, do you want to know what we wrote?”

Roxanne, sensing their attempt to cheer her, smiled and nodded. “Sure. What did you write?”

Sounds of rustling came from the back seat, then Benny’s emotional voice: “The person I love most is Mommy! My mommy is an amazing doctor! Even though she’s always busy with work, my brother and I know she loves us most! We think Mommy is a great person for saving lives every day. Sometimes, we feel bad for her and wish she wouldn’t get too busy and tire herself out. I hope Mommy will stay beautiful forever!”

Roxanne chuckled. “It’s so long! No wonder your teacher told me you excelled in Chanaean. What about you, Archie?”

Archie sat up straight. “My mommy is an amazing doctor. Saving lives is a difficult job, and so is taking care of my brother and me. I want to be like her when I grow up. I wish I could grow up quickly and earn money for my family, so Mommy doesn’t have to be so tired all the time.”

Roxanne’s heart melted. She forgot all about the kindergarten incident. “Thank you, boys.”

The boys exchanged relieved glances as they saw her mood brighten.