The Unwanted Perfect Husband

Chapter 6

The ambulance siren grew louder until it finally stopped right in front of the house. Two paramedics rushed inside carrying a stretcher and medical equipment. They immediately knelt beside Gerald.

After checking his airway and pulse, one of the paramedics nodded.

“The blockage has loosened somewhat. The patient is more stable than we usually see in cases of choking this severe. His breathing never stopped completely. That’s a good thing.”

The second paramedic turned toward the family while putting away the equipment. “Who gave him that warm herbal drink earlier? The timing was quite helpful.”

The atmosphere immediately grew tense. Several relatives exchanged glances.

"I was the one who did it,” Thaddeus said. “Glad I could help.”

“Whoa, good job, sir,” the paramedic said.

"It was just a coincidence. Don’t try to connect it to that strange drink him made," said Noura.

The paramedics simply nodded politely, unwilling to get involved. They quickly transferred Gerald onto the stretcher. His breathing was indeed much better, but he was still not fully conscious.

Several of Gerald’s close relatives accompanied him in the ambulance, while some of them stayed behind.

A few minutes later, the ambulance left the house, leaving behind an awkward silence in the messy dining room.

Thaddeus was still standing in the corner of the room. His hands were still slightly dirty from the ginger brew.

He took a slow breath before speaking in a calm but clear voice.

“Actually, it wasn’t a coincidence.”

Everyone turned to look at him.

“The food I make has helped many times before. When Xalia and Raxy had high fevers, their temperatures came down faster after they ate the meals I prepared specifically for them. The same thing happened whenever Yilna had a stomachache or caught a chill. I’ll let Yilna confirm that.”

Yilna, who had been silent all this time, was startled. Everyone’s attention immediately turned toward her. She gave an awkward smile before giving a small nod.

“Yes... it has happened before. But... it was just a coincidence, right?” Her voice was quiet and slightly unsteady.

Deep down, she felt embarrassed. Her husband sounded like a traditional man who believed in the healing properties of old-fashioned cooking, even though he was a modern CEO standing in front of his entire family. She didn’t want to appear as though she supported something she considered old-fashioned and unscientific.

Noura scoffed loudly. “Yes. Obviously, it was a coincidence. Don’t make it sound like you have some kind of special ability, Thad.”

One of the aunts, Aunt Clara, who had been standing with her arms crossed over her chest, suddenly stepped forward. She rolled up the sleeve of her blouse, revealing several reddish spots and slight swelling on her forearm.

“Okay, if you claim your cooking can heal people,” she said challengingly, “then prove it. I’ve had this allergic reaction since yesterday. The spots are still clearly visible. If you really can do something about it, make me something that will get rid of this. I’ll eat it in front of everyone.”

Several relatives immediately voiced their agreement.

“Yeah, prove it.”

“Don’t just make empty claims.”

“If you fail, don’t act like a know-it-all in front of the family again.”

Soft laughter began to fill the room. Clearly, they thought this was nothing more than a joke that would end with Thaddeus being humiliated.

Thaddeus calmly studied the spots on Aunt Clara’s arm.

“That’s a mild allergic reaction. It’s usually associated with an increase in histamine activity in the skin. What may help is food that can naturally support the body’s inflammatory response while also soothing the digestive system, which can sometimes be involved in the reaction. I can make something using the ingredients we have in the kitchen right now,” Thaddeus explained.

Several people exchanged glances. He sounded far too serious for someone who was supposedly just a chef.

“Go ahead,” Aunt Clara said, lifting her chin. “But if there’s no improvement within the time you claim, you have to apologize in front of everyone by kneeling down because of all the trouble you’ve caused tonight.”

Thaddeus nodded once.

“Fine.”

He turned around and walked into the kitchen without waiting for any further comments. Several relatives followed from a distance, wearing mocking expressions as if they wanted to witness his failure firsthand.

In the kitchen, Thaddeus worked with the ease of someone who had done this countless times before. He wasn’t in a hurry, but every movement was efficient. He took the free-range chicken that was still left in the refrigerator, fresh turmeric, several cloves of garlic, some young papaya leaves that happened to be available, and a small amount of rice to make an easily digestible porridge.

He lit the stove. He sautéed the garlic in as little oil as possible, then added the roughly crushed turmeric and ginger. A warm aroma immediately filled the kitchen. He added the chicken and simmered it over low heat so the broth could develop a rich flavor. The young papaya leaves were added later so they wouldn’t become too bitter, while the rice was cooked until it became soft and smooth.

The process took nearly twenty-five minutes. Throughout that time, whispers and quiet laughter could still be heard from the dining room.

“He’s definitely going to fail.”

“What a waste of ingredients.”

“I can’t wait to watch him kneel in front of all of us.”

When Thaddeus returned to the dining room carrying a steaming bowl of turmeric chicken porridge, Aunt Clara was already sitting in her chair with a challenging expression. She accepted the bowl without saying thank you.

“I’m eating it now. Everyone here is my witness.”

She scooped up a spoonful of the porridge and calmly ate it in front of everyone.