6. She's Back

A/N: The chapter ahead is raw, which means it has not yet been proofread or edited.

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"Have you found her?"

Midas sat down and crossed his legs. His hand is holding the phone to his ear while the other is stirring his morning hot chocolate.

[I'm sorry, Sir.]

Midas rolled his eyes and stomp his foot.

"That's bad news. I got bad news for you, too. Do you want to hear it?"

[Y-Yes, Sir?]

"YOU'RE FIRED! You can't even find a single girl!? You're useless!"

He ended the call and blocked the investigator's number.

No, he's not the investigator he hired to look for Kalonice Montecristo. There's a girl he's been searching for for almost 2 years. The girl owe him a huge debt and she's still not paid.

And yes, he hired an investigator solely to find Kalonice Montecristo.

His father froze his bank accounts. The only wealth he has now are the cash in his wallet and his mother. The moment his father did it, he called his mother for backup. Doesn't matter if they fight. Their fights are petty and they will made up before the day ends because Larry Zeno Yzaguirre is a dog for his wife, a slave for and of her affection. He's always thirsty for her.

He received a formal email about the schedule of the initial defense. He will panel in two departments: engineering and architecture.

He messaged his mother.

To: My Mom ❤️

Mom, I'm starving. I think Dad wants me dead.

He smirked.

Oh, boy. What a good way to start his morning. He took a sip of his hot chocolate.

From: My Mom ❤️

Your bank accounts are still frozen?

'Oh? Did she tell him to lift it?' He thought.

To: My Mom

He said he won't do it. First, he sent me here, then he will neglect and abandon me? I'm gonna die. I have no food. Good bye.

Call him dramatic, but that's just how things are. That's how the system works. The system he made to bully his father who loves bullying him, too.

Sounds like a toxic family, right? But for them, is healthily normal.

He hit the gym for his morning exercise. He even meditated to clear his mind, but his guilt kept on bugging him, poking him, and tripping him.

"Argh, stop it! Go away! Shoo, shoo!"

He beat his hands in the air to erase the demons around him. He marched out of his gym and went to the kitchen. He pulled a carton of cold hot chocolate and drink it using a gold straw.

He fished for his phone and called the university's President.

It's the second week, so maybe Kalonice Montecristo will come to school?

[Yes, Mr. Midas?]

Midas frowned.

What is he going to say? Ask about her? Nah, that will make him sound obsessive.

"I want to transfer."

[H-Here, Sir?]

"Where else!? Are you a dummy!?"

Oh, good lord. First thing in the morning! He's already annoyed!

[Sorry, Sir. I will process it myself. If you'd like, you can start attending your classes now since we adapted the same curriculum from the main. Also, Ms. Montecristo is still absent.]

"Did I ask!? I don't care! I wouldn't care even if you kick her out!"

[The founders will be mad mad, then.]

"Whatever!"

And he hang up the call. He emptied the carton, sipping angrily until it was inflated. He threw the trash and put his gold straw in the dishwasher. He's bored, so he went to their company based in the Philippines. Secretary Sean informed that his father is in a meeting, and after that meeting is another meeting, and so on.

He sat on his father's chair and browse through the files on his desks, reading and analyzing every documents. Mostly are contracts, legal documents, designs and drafts drawn by his father himself.

Until he came across Kalonice Montecristo's folder.

"Heh, marked, huh?" He smirked when he saw his father's stamp on her paper.

He was overwhelmed about her educational background. A straight honor student and President's Lister, won academic competitions and had been into places.

The same goes for her work experiences. Waitress, cashier, receptionist, tutor, traditional artist, freelancer, and the like. Recommendation letters was included from the people she worked for.

And when he's seen her designs.

"Fine, fine! It's my fault!" He finally admitted upon laying his eyes on her designs.

Now he understands why the Big 3 wanted her.

It's because she possessed valuable skills, talents, and professional experiences. She's a total package. They didn't lie when they said she's an ace.

"And what's the purpose of the best son in the world to be here, hmm?"

He dropped the folder and closes it when he heard his father.

"Are you sorry now? So, have you found her?"

Larry Zeno Yzaguirre sat on his table, facing his son who's sitting prettily and comfortably on his chair.

He's grumpy, "Not yet."

Larry Zeno Yzaguirre cackled and hit his son with the rolled blueprint he got from his table.

"Then go find her! You're not coming back here unless she's with you! Your Uncles are looking for her, too! What if they get to her first? We're gonna be poor!"

"Ow, ow! You're so dramatic! I'm telling Mom!"

He smiled at his dear son so sweetly, the cavities are killing him.

"And I'm telling her, too, about what you did. How about THAT!?"

And he hit him again. He only stopped from bullying Midas when Secretary Sean barged through the door, panting and crawling on the floor.

"S-She's...b-back---!"

"Mommy, are you okay? Why are you sad, Mommy?" Candice finally had the courage to ask. She sound so sad because Kalonice has been down since. They're aware but couldn't dare ask about what's the matter. But now, Candice can't hold herself back anymore.

Kalonice smiled wryly and served her food. Egg fried rice with bits of bacon, hotdogs, and carrots. Next is her favorite jumbo hotdogs with cheese.

"I'm fine. Thank you for your concern, but Ate is fine."

Ali and Francis looked at each other.

Their anger is silent.

They heard gossips. Their teachers even asked them about it if it's true that Kalonice Montecristo did something bad to a powerful figure. The powerful figure punished her by banning her from getting jobs again. They know their sister. She will never do such thing, whatever that thing is.

"I don't wanna go to school! I'm staying with Mama! Mama is sad!"

Candice is at it again. She's refusing to step inside her classroom. Ali and Francis are in their classrooms already, while Kalonice is stuck with Candice because she won't go inside.

"Candice, behave. Get in. You're making a scene. You're a big girl now."

"No! I'm a baby! I'm your baby! I will go with you!"

Kalonice snapped, "Candice!"

The child was startled.

Kalonice pulled herself together and went down to Candice's level.

"I-I'm sorry. Just, please? Get inside. I will be late for school, too. I'm fine, I promise."

"But... But they're talking about you, Mommy." Candice burst into tears, brushing her eyes with the back of her hands, "Those mean mothers of my classmates! I hate them! I wish their houses burn!"

"Candice!"

Good lord, where did the child get that? Where did she learn that? From whom?

"Don't say things like that again, okay? That's so mean. Let them talk. We will be fine. You're better than them. Let them be. We will be fine, so stop crying and worrying about me."

She wiped Candice's face and kissed her cute, rosy cheeks.

"I'm gonna burn their houses."

"I said!"

Candice pouted and looked to the side. Finally, the girl went inside her classroom.

"What are you looking at!?" she roared at her classmates with her hands to her side, brow arching.

Kalonice massaged her nape. Was Candice a gangster in her past life?

Her head is down low, her hair is blocking her face. She's ashamed, she's embarrassed. She drowning in her own guilt---guilt that tells her that she had failed the people who were believing in her. She feel like trash. Her tears are welling up. She's scared because all eyes were on her. Looking through her.

Her shaking hands gripped on the straps of her backpack tight.

"Ms. Kalonice! Ms. Kalonice Montecristo? Is that you, Ms. Montecristo!?"

She barely lifted her head to look at the person who called her. He's jogging to her.

"Y-Yes?"

Is he an administrator? Is he going to kick her out now?

"Thank the gods! I-I am Steve Hobbs, a representative from Lisieux Real Estates, Properties and Architectural Firm! May I have a moment with you---"

She was startled when the man was pushed aside by another.

"Ms. Montecristo! I am Olen Marst, representative from Alterio Global Automotive and Transportations Company! I've been waiting for you return, so please let me speak with you! This is an urgent matter, Ms. Montecristo!"

"Hey! I got to her first!"

Kalonice stepped back, confused and scared. They are fighting verbally in front of her, saying this and that, and she can't follow what they're talking about.

Word spread like wildfire. In the next few minutes, the media and press came one after another, causing a stampede and triggering Kalonice's panic attack and anxiety. She covered her ears, looking away from the flashes of camera on her face.

"Kalonice---Montecristo! What---Where have you---"

Her ears received distorted voices. She tried to walk away from the crowd but they're everywhere. She's stuck in the middle, overwhelmed, shaking and palpitating.

"P-Please... G-Go away..."

The President came with the securities to push them back. Teachers from different departments went out from the faculty rooms to help while some of them tried to pull Kalonice from the stampede.

Kalonice's felt dizzy. And she's crying.

Midas revved the engines of his sports car and pressed the horn with his fist as he step on the accelerator.

The crowd was immediately divided to run to the sides for the car is only going straight. They already knew who's inside and driving just by the aura and audacity they had felt.

"STOP THE CAR! MIDAS, STOP THE CAR!" Larry Zeno Yzaguirre yelled when his son is not thinking of stopping.

Kalonice was left in the middle, sobbing as she tremble like a newborn fawn.

"MIDAS! AAAHHH!!" His father and Secretary Sean screamed when they're getting closer to Kalonice.

Midas finally stepped on the brakes.

Five inches.

That's the distance left between Kalonice and Midas' sports car.

However, Kalonice remained standing. She didn't even see the car coming. She's just there, sobbing like a pitiful, lost child while covering her ears.

Larry Zeno Yzaguirre cursed out at his son before removing his seat belt. He's the first to step out of the car. He harmlessly approached the girl.

"Ms. Montecristo?" He called her in a soothing way.

Kalonice flinched and stepped back.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry... Please, I'm sorry... I'm sorry..."

Midas came next. He stood by his car, observing and confused about what's going on on her.

"Hija, it's fine. I'm Larry Zeno Yzaguirre. I'm harmless and kind. Would you like to come with me? I promise you, I'm harmless."

Larry Zeno Yzaguirre reached out his hand for her.

Kalonice looked at it. She stepped back, looking around her with frightful eyes, until her eyes locked onto Midas.