The atmosphere at the table was tense, and Tan could feel the unease between everyone. As they ate in silence, Fang absentmindedly served food to Marc and Daisy, but when it came to Jelly, he hesitated, not putting any food on her plate.
Jelly watched with wide eyes, her lips trembling. Slowly, tears began to roll down her cheeks as she stared at her plate, unsure of what to do.
Tan's heart sank at the sight. He glanced at Fang, who hadn't noticed Jelly's reaction, lost in his own thoughts. But Tan couldn't ignore the hurt in his daughter's eyes. Without a word, he quietly took the serving spoon and added some food to Jelly's plate, then gently pushed it toward her.
Jelly sniffled, wiping her tears with the back of her hand, trying to act strong but clearly hurt. Tan didn't say anything. He knew the tension was thick between him and Fang, but this moment was about Jelly. He wasn't going to let her feel left out, especially not now.
Marc and Daisy exchanged a glance. They could see how their little sister was struggling, and they wanted to say something, to help, but they knew it wasn't the time. They kept quiet, sensing that their parents needed to work through things on their own. Instead, they just offered Jelly supportive glances, hoping she would feel comforted.
The table fell into an uncomfortable silence again. Tan felt the weight of it all, but he continued eating, pretending everything was normal. Jelly, though, ate quietly, wiping her eyes when she thought no one was looking. She wasn't angry-just hurt, and that was enough to make Tan's heart ache.
No one pushed for conversation. They all understood, in their own way, that this was a moment that needed time.
Tan kept glancing at Fang, but Fang never met his gaze. He didn't know how to break the silence, and Tan wasn't sure how to reach him just yet. But, for now, they ate together as a family, each of them processing their own feelings in the quiet that surrounded them.
The morning sun filtered through the curtains as Marc and Daisy rubbed their eyes and made their way downstairs to find Tan preparing breakfast. The smell of pancakes and scrambled eggs filled the air, and the sound of sizzling on the stovetop added a cozy touch to the weekend morning.
"Good morning, Dada," Marc greeted cheerfully, climbing onto a chair at the kitchen table. Daisy followed suit, her sleepy voice chiming in, "Good morning, Dada."
Tan smiled warmly at them, setting a glass of milk in front of each. "Good morning, you two. Did you sleep well?"
Marc nodded enthusiastically while Daisy let out a small yawn, then glanced around. "Where's Jelly? She's still sleeping?"
Tan frowned slightly, glancing toward the stairs. "Still sleeping? She's usually up by now."
Daisy hesitated, biting her lip. "She was really sad last night," she said quietly, glancing at Marc, who nodded in agreement.
Tan's expression softened, a mix of concern and guilt flickering across his face. "I'll go check on her. You two eat your breakfast, okay?"
Marc and Daisy nodded, exchanging a knowing glance as Tan wiped his hands on a towel and headed upstairs.
He knocked gently on the girls' bedroom door before slowly opening it. The room was dim, with the curtains drawn, and Jelly was curled up in bed, clutching her blanket tightly. She wasn't sleeping, though-her eyes were open, staring at the wall.
"Jelly?" Tan called softly, stepping inside.
Jelly turned her head slightly, her eyes red and puffy from crying. "Good morning, Dada," she said in a small voice, sitting up but avoiding his gaze.
