The Unwanted Perfect Husband

Chapter 7

Aunt Clara pushed the empty bowl toward the center of the table. “I’ve eaten it. Nothing has changed. You lost.”

Several relatives immediately broke into small rounds of applause, as if they had been waiting for this moment all along.

“Kneel down now, Thad,” Shein said with a satisfied tone. “You said it yourself. If you failed, you had to kneel in front of all of us.”

Yilna lowered her head even further. She wished the floor would open up and swallow her whole. She was deeply embarrassed. In front of her entire family, her husband looked like a man who believed far too much in superstition.

Thaddeus didn’t move from his spot. He continued to calmly study Aunt Clara’s arm.

“I’m not denying the results so far,” he said quietly. “But allow me to explain logically why I chose those ingredients.”

Several people scoffed, but no one interrupted him. Their curiosity was still stronger than their annoyance.

“Turmeric contains curcumin. This compound has been extensively studied for its anti-inflammatory properties. It may help inhibit enzymes involved in swelling and redness associated with mild allergic reactions. Ginger contains gingerol, which works in a similar way by helping reduce excessive histamine activity."

"Young papaya leaves, when used in small amounts, contain compounds that have traditionally been used to soothe skin irritation from within."

"As for the chicken and rice, they’re simply the base to make the meal easy to digest without putting too much strain on the stomach. It’s not a miracle cure. It’s simply a combination that supports the body as it naturally reduces inflammation.”

He paused for a moment before adding, “The effect isn’t immediate like an injection. For a mild allergic reaction like this, it usually takes around thirty to forty minutes before changes become visible on the surface of the skin. That’s why I asked you to wait.”

Aunt Clara scoffed. “Scientific nonsense. I’ve waited long enough.”

“Then,” Thaddeus said, “give me another ten minutes. If there’s still absolutely no change, I’ll kneel in front of all of you without arguing.”

Silence fell over the room for a moment.

Noura finally nodded reluctantly. “Fine. Ten minutes. No more.”

The clock on the wall seemed to move slower than usual. Some relatives began talking quietly, while others simply stared at Aunt Clara’s arm with skeptical expressions.

Twenty-five minutes had passed since Aunt Clara finished the porridge.

Thirty minutes.

There was still nothing obvious. The redness remained.

Shein had already opened his mouth to mock Thaddeus again when the niece sitting closest to Aunt Clara suddenly narrowed her eyes.

“Auntie... look.”

Aunt Clara lowered her gaze to her own arm.

Along the edges of the reddened area, the color had begun to fade. It wasn’t completely gone. It was simply lighter than it had been five minutes earlier. The spots that had previously been slightly raised now appeared flatter.

Silence spread through the room like a wave.

“Is that... because of the lighting?” someone tried to reason, though their voice lacked confidence.

“No,” the niece whispered. “I’ve been watching it the whole time. It really is fading.”

Aunt Clara slowly rubbed her arm, unable to believe what she was seeing. She compared it with her other arm, which hadn’t been affected. The difference was becoming increasingly obvious.

Thirty-five minutes.

The redness continued to fade. It wasn’t dramatic, and it wasn’t anything like magic. But it was clear enough to make everyone who had laughed earlier fall silent.

Noura opened her mouth, but no words came out.

Thaddeus simply stood there in silence, letting the results speak for themselves.

At the forty-minute mark, the remaining spots had become much fainter. Aunt Clara’s skin had almost returned to its normal color, leaving behind only a few barely visible marks.

The dining room fell completely silent.

No one laughed anymore.

No one told Thaddeus to kneel.

There were only exchanged glances, filled with questions that no one yet dared to ask.