Part 20

Gladwin stood frozen. Suddenly, Phoebe and her mother were standing in front of his room with a little girl who looked to be around four or five years old, just as Gladwin had returned from the Emergency Room.

"Darling, this is Uncle Gladwin," Gladwin heard the voice of Phoebe's mother, Penelope Madsen. The pretty little girl with curly black hair standing beside her extended her hand, politely introducing herself to Gladwin.

"Sorry, Gladwin. My mom came here for Gisel's immunization, and she kept asking about you. She said she wanted to greet you out of courtesy, even though I've forbidden her and told her I would ask the staff if I didn't bring her here," Phoebe said with a guilty expression that Gladwin knew was just an act.

"How are you, Mrs. Madsen?" Gladwin politely greeted the woman, who was of the same age as his own mother.

"Don't be so formal, just call me Penny. Phoebe's friends usually call me that," the woman said with a coaxing tone.

Gladwin frowned inwardly. Back when h