Housekeeper Win had feared the worst when she believed they would all be fired, and her heart sank as she hesitated to answer Mr. Singers' question about the meal Andrea had prepared. Lost in her thoughts, she stared blankly at Mr. Singers, unable to respond promptly.
"Where is the meal?" Mr. Singers asked again, his impatience evident in his tone.
Suddenly jolted back to reality, Housekeeper Win quickly replied, "It is already served on the dining table."
To everyone's surprise, Mr. Singers declared, "Promote all the staff involved in the cooking, and also give them bonuses and salary increments, including you, Win," as he headed towards the dining table.
Overwhelmed with shock and joy at Mr. Singers' unexpected praise, Housekeeper Win and the other servants erupted into a celebration, dancing and singing in jubilation over their rewards.
Rushing to the dining table, Housekeeper Win found Mr. Singers happily enjoying the meal, his face beaming with a big smile.
Housekeeper Win was trembling with joy as she watched Mr. Singers eat with newfound gusto. She couldn't contain the good news to herself, so she quickly made her way to Andrea's room to share it.
However, upon reaching Andrea's room, she found her peacefully asleep. Housekeeper Win let out a sigh and quietly left the room.
After preparing the meal, Andrea felt exhausted. Being pregnant for the first time made it challenging for her to manage the stress of carrying a baby and moving around the house. She soon drifted off to sleep from fatigue.
Shortly after Housekeeper Win departed, Mr. Singers entered the room wearing the same suit he had on when he returned from work.
This behaviour was out of the ordinary for Mr. Singers, as he had never before come back from work and headed directly to the dining room. However, he was filled with joy and curiosity upon learning that Andrea had cooked the meal.
Gazing down at Andrea, a rare smile softened his usually stern countenance as she slept peacefully. Taking a seat on the edge of the bed, he gently brushed away a stray lock of hair that had fallen across her face.
"Thank you, my dear. That meal was truly exquisite. I only wish your mother could have been here to taste your culinary masterpiece," Mr. Singers remarked wistfully, his voice tinged with longing.
In a sudden movement, Andrea stirred, causing Mr. Singers to tense up in surprise. Her eyelids fluttered open, and she regarded him with a quizzical expression.
"You're back?" she mumbled drowsily.
"Yes, I am. Your cooking is truly remarkable. It's the best meal I've ever had," Mr. Singers replied sincerely, his praise genuine and heartfelt. In that moment, he knew that Andrea's culinary skills surpassed even those of his wife, Rebecca.
A look of delight washed over Andrea's face, dispelling any traces of drowsiness. Blushing slightly, she responded, "If you enjoyed it that much, Mr. Singers, I'll make sure to cook for you more often."
Mr. Singers shook his head, expressing his desire for Andrea to always cook for him, but he declined the suggestion, citing her pregnancy as a reason. "You are pregnant. It's not advisable for you to always cook. How about after you have given birth? You will get tired of cooking for me," he said.
After speaking, Mr. Singers chuckled, his face glowing with anticipation of seeing the baby in her stomach and enjoying the meals prepared by Andrea.
Suddenly, Andrea asked, "Did you say something while I was sleeping?" She thought she heard Mr. Singers' voice while she was asleep but couldn't quite make out his words.
Mr. Singers' expression changed abruptly, and he quickly replied, "Nothing. You should go back to sleep. I will go and change."
Without waiting for Andrea to respond, he hastened out of her room. Returning to his own room, he closed the door and stood motionless for ten minutes.
After changing into fresh attire, he strolled to the balcony overlooking his window and lit a cigarette. As he inhaled deeply, exhaling a perfect smoke ring, his mind was fraught with turmoil.
"Forgive me, Andrea. How do I confess that I am the father you deserved all these years, but who was never there for you? How can I admit that I abandoned your mother to face her demise alone due to unpaid hospital bills? How can I reveal that I am the father you longed for at your mother's funeral, yet failed to find solace in my absence?" His voice trembled with emotion, his face etched with pain.
The memory of his abrupt departure from Vegas, leaving his wife and child without a farewell, haunted Mr. Singers. That day, marred by his boss's relentless harassment at work and a chance encounter with a dangerous drug exchange.
He was too fearful of drawing the attention of the cartels to his residence, so he promptly fled from Vegas. He didn't dare to return home or reach out to his wife, apprehensive that any contact could lead to their discovery and be used to expose his hiding place.
"Are you okay?" Andrea's voice suddenly sounded behind him, causing him to freeze in shock.
Swiftly extinguishing his cigarette, he composed himself, mustered a forced smile, and turned to face Andrea. "I'm fine," he replied.
Andrea studied his expression and sensed that he wasn't being entirely truthful. The silence between them lingered.
"How did you and your mom cope after your father left?" Mr. Singers inquired, prompting a puzzled look from Andrea at his choice of words.
Recognizing his slip, Mr. Singers quickly amended his question, saying, "What I meant was, you mentioned your dad leaving you and your mom when you were young. How did things unfold back then? Could you share with me?"
Andrea eyed Mr. Singers warily but refrained from voicing her question. Instead, she began recounting the hardships she and her mother had faced. "After my father's departure, creditors, both legitimate and not, descended upon us, seizing our belongings. Despite numerous reports to the police, no action was taken."