10 - Late

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

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"Sir, excuse me."

"Oh, Hija. Come in. What's the matter? Did Larzen do something? Stab with him with a pencil."

Kalonice gasped, "N-No, Sir! I want to ask if I can leave for a moment? I will fetch my siblings and send them home, then come back."

"Oh, Hija, but commuting is troublesome. Tell Larzen to give you a ride."

"I will be fine, Sir. And he's busy, too. I think he's editing our schedule and finalizing some paperwork."

Larry acted so shock, "He's actually working? Wow, he must be ill."

"I HEARD YOU!" Midas yelled from their office since the doors were open. Still, his hearing sense must be very sharp to still hear them!

"Then do what I just said! Give Ms. Montecristo a lift!"

"Why me!? I'm not a driver! And you're giving her too much attention and special treatment! That's favoritism!"

"But you're my most favorite!" Larry yelled back to tease him.

Midas angrily stepped out of their office, glaring at him. Larry laughed at him. It's just so funny when he came out. He looked like an angry bear.

"You're being unfair to your other employees. They'd be jealous if word of this comes out,"

Larry chuckled, "Don't believe him, Hija. It's only right to treat an ace specially, right? We provide bus shuttles for our employees as service."

"Sir, I will be fine."

"No, Hija. I insist. Get to know each other better since you'd be partners. Leave the past behind and move on. Hmm?"

Midas squinted his eyes on him with his arms crossed. His father is plotting something and whatever that is, he's already pissed!

Kalonice sighed in defeat and thanked her boss. Midas didn't argue with his father anymore and went along.

"Where am I going to sit?" she asked her, breaking the silence between them as they walk to the car in the VIP parking lot.

"Beside me. I'm not your driver to sit behind, duh."

Kalonice grimaced at his sass.

He didn't open the door for her and that's fine for Kalonice. She's not expecting him to be a gentleman to her either way.

"Your seatbelt, woman." Midas pointed out as he wear his.

Kalonice pulled the seatbelt and wore it, too.

The interior of the car is very luxurious.

"Wow, an Alterio Stratos. It's my first time to see this car's interior," she murmured to herself, doing her best to keep her hands to herself. It's truly a high-end luxury car. The seats are covered in polished leather and the roof is glass. She's not knowledgeable enough about cars, but it's very fantastic. Caedmon told her before that they released 20 units of this car.

"You know Alterios but not Yzaguirres? When we're a lot famous than them?" Midas hissed and started the engine.

"I always see one. Before. When I was still an exchange student." That is true, but the truest is that because she's mingling with Caedmon Alterio.

"How many siblings do you have?" He asked, which is odd. Is that what Larry mean when he said that they should get to know each other well? By knowing each other's lives?

"Three. Ali came after me. She's 11. Then Francis, he's 10. Lastly, Candice. She's 5 years old. We're all adopted by the same mother. However, Candice was given to me by my late friend. The father didn't want to take responsibility and told my friend to abort the baby, so she ran away. She died of childbirth." She answered as she look outside the window.

Midas noticed how tense she seemed. She's playing with her sweating and cold hands.

"I have siblings too. Quintuplet. They're 5 years old, too. Our youngest is a little sister. She's still a baby. 9 months old."

Kalonice didn't expect him to share something about him, that's why she was so shocked.

"What? You shared a piece about you so I will, too. Tsk."

It made her smile.

"Sir Larry must be a very good husband. He scored 5," she chuckled.

"He's a crazy man. Imagine, he already got 5 and he scored another."

"Maybe he wanted a baby girl? Now he have it."

"How I wish that's the case."

Kalonice, curious, ask, "If they're 5, why are they not going to school yet? Candice is in preschool now. She enrolled last year."

"They don't want to. Mom and Dad don't want to yet as well. I don't know why. I started going to school late, too. I was 7 when I entered preschool and jumped grade levels to meet my smarts. Why did you send Candice early to preschool though?"

Kalonice smiled, "My siblings stayed with our small town's priest when I was overseas. They lived behind the chapel. I don't want to trouble the Reverend in raising and decided to send her early to school. That's why."

Midas nodded slowly. He understood.

Kalonice told him the directions to her siblings' school. After talking about Larry, they talked about their thesis. Midas then thought to himself that it's not bad to have a conversation with her. They're very casual as if they've known each other for a while now. But there's a problem.

Her tongue is sharp!

"Is that their school?" He slowed down.

"Stating the obvious, eh? This is where I led you, right?"

He frowned.

Is it because she's feeling too comfortable with him that's why she's talking like that already? He will put her in her place!

After parking to the side, Kalonice went out of the car first. People around them immediately started gossiping and it became louder when Midas Yzaguirre went out next.

"Take that back! My Mommy is not like yours! Your Mama is a pig!"

As soon as she heard that voice, she knew who it was.

"Candice, stop it! And you, how are you so rude? Did you parents not teach your manners?" Ali.

"Nye, nye, nye! Everybody knows it already! Your sister is a loser! I thought she's so smart? Then why did she do that to Midas!? You're the one who was not taught manners because you don't have a mama!"

Kalonice pulled the child back and when he's turned, she slapped him.

Midas jumped in surprise.

SHE SLAPPED A CHILD!?

"Mommy!" Candice ran to her and hugged her waist. She didn't let the child go, who she thinks is on the same age as Francis.

"Now, say to my face. Call you mother and say it on my face. SAY IT!"

"Go, Mama! Hit him harder!"

The child's mother came running and confronted her.

"What do you think you're doing, hurting my child---"

She slapped her, too.

"You're older, you must've known better. Discipline your son and yourself or I will. Don't bring my siblings into this! What do you know about me, huh? Wait aren't you the one who borrowed money from me when your teenager got pregnant and was in the hospital?"

The mother's eyes widened.

"Y-You---!"

"Abuse my siblings again and you will see what you're looking for. How dare you turn against me after what I've done for you. Hypocrite! If you have something to say about me, say it on my face!"

Everyone can't look at her. Now, they feel bad because it's true. There was a time when Kalonice had been good to them. Even though she didn't know them, she extended her hands to help them when they asked. She didn't expect anything in return, but this is how they're going to repay her? By mistreating her innocent siblings?

"Let's go, Ali. Where's Francis?"

Kalonice went down to pick up Candice. Ali is holding Candice's bag.

"Practicing at the gym, Ate. We were waiting for him when they cornered us. First, it was Candice. They were ganging up on her before I even came,"

Alice's face got darker. Her fists were clenching tight that her knuckles turned white.

"What? These boys were ganging up on a 7 year old!?"

"Don't worry, Mommy! I wasn't scared! Look, I'm holding my sharp pencil! I'm ready to stab them!"

Midas's eyes widened.

Did he heard the child right?

She proudly showed her new and newly-sharpened pencil! The child is the incarnation of murderous intentions!

"Ate!" Francis shouted while running to them, "You're here early! What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Let's go. I will talk to your teachers tomorrow. Let's go home now."

"Mommy, I want ice cream with hotdog toppings!"

"There's no such thing, Candice. And no more hotdogs." Kalonice. Candice whined and flapped her feet.

Midas hid behind a papaya tree. Candice squinted her eyes on him. First, because he looked dumb. He's obviously there. And why hide? Second, he looks familiar.

Their eyes met. Midas looked away.

"AHA!" Candice pointed her sharp pencil at him. Kalonice looked back, so Candice turned around to see Midas.

"You're the bad guy! Mommy, is that your bully? That's your bully, right!? Ate Ali, Kuya Francis, look at that thing! He's the one who bullied Mommy! Mama, why is that villain here!?"

Kalonice blinked and threw glances over Midas who stepped aside to show himself. He faked a cough.

"Yes, that's me."

"YOU'RE THE ONE WHO MADE MOMMY CRY!?" Gangster Candice popped her knuckles and hold onto her pencil tight. So tight that it bend.

"Little miss, we are fine now."

Nothing would scare him for he's Midas. But that thing... And her other two siblings that were glaring at him with murderous intent... He's scared.

"Candice, give me that pencil." Kalonice took the pencil from her and gave it to Ali. She shouldn't have because it snapped as soon as Ali got her hands on it.

"What is he doing here, Ate?" Ali asked, sternly saying every word.

"What are you doing here?" Francis asked Midas directly. He can't move his lips to speak. His throat went dry. Kalonice's siblings...are fearsome.

Now he's cursing his father for making him do it.

"I---"

"Mommy, let me down! I'm gonna punch his kneecaps!"

Midas instantly pressed his knees together.

'Please don't!' he said internally and got chills. The child is definitely a gangster!

"Ahh. Stop it. Candice, Ali, Francis, we're good. We're in good terms now. Right, Midas?"

Midas nodded like there's no tomorrow.

"Yes. In fact, I-I'm here to take you all to the mall. H-How does that sound?"

Her siblings flared their glaring eyes at him, assessing if he's lying or not.

Gangster Candice didn't buy it, "Huh~!? You think that'd be enough to buy our trust!? Mama, put me down! I'm gonna bite his Achilles' heel and lock him in our basement!"

"Candice, we don't have a basement."

"Then, I'm gonna bury him alive!"

Kalonice spank her lightly, "Where are you learning all that, huh? I'm working for his father's company now. He's my boss, so be nice to him."

"Did he apologize?" Ali, seething, "Because I don't feel that he already have. Rich people don't apologize. They buy your forgiveness. So, did he buy your forgiveness, Ate Kalonice?" she's saying all that while looking straight into Midas's eyes.

His knees turned jelly. Her siblings...are all gangsters. No, they're Mafia Bosses!

He's Midas Yzaguirre, powerful and wealthy! He won't be shaken by some children's demeanor towards him!

"I'm sorry..." was the words that came out of his mouth, and he looked down not because he's feeling ashamed that's he's apologizing, but because he delayed his apology for so long.

"I'm truly reflecting about what I did wrong. I almost ruined your sister's life and bright future ahead. To think that you will be affected, too... For that, I am really sorry. Your sister is innocent and did nothing wrong, that's why I'm apologizing with sincerity."

And he pulled himself, "But I won't apologize to other people, though. I hate them."

Kalonice looked at her siblings. They're talking to each other telepathically.

Candice was the first to smile.

"Otay! Buy me food and I will forgive you! That's a condition!"

Midas smiled and accepted her condition.

He brought them to a 5-star restaurant.