15 - Call

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

***

Candice was the first to regain consciousness. The first thing she saw was the white ceiling. Her eyes traveled to recognize the room she's in. It's unfamiliar and strange. Everywhere, all she could see was white.

Then, she looked at her self. She have bandages.

She remembered.

Midas jumped awake when he heard Candice, bawling her eyes out.

"Little miss, it's me. You're safe. You're safe, little miss."

Candice stared at him, trying to recognize him.

"Mommy...? Where's Mommy?"

Midas sat beside her and gently touched her hands. He looked at where she is, sleeping on the stretcher next to her.

"Mommy!? What happened to my Mama!?" Candice tried to hop off her bed to go to her but Midas resisted her with light force.

"She's only sleeping, girl. Calm down, she's fine. Careful, your wounds will open," he softly articulated and placed her hand on her waist.

"It's ouchy... Daddy, it's ouchy!"

"I know, I know. Lay down, baby girl. You're safe here. You're safe."

Candice laid down while still crying. Midas tried to make her feel better by showing her gifts, but none of them made Candice happy.

Kalonice woke up next and the first thing she looked for was Candice.

"Candice! Candice, my baby! Candice!"

"Mommy!"

They reunited and locked each other in a tight embrace. Kalonice pushed her back gently to examine her state.

Her poor girl...is hurt.

"Mommy... I'm sorry... He said... He said he knew my Daddy... I didn't know... Mama, I was so scared. He... He tried opening my legs and---"

"Shh... Shhh, I'm sorry. I'm sorry, baby. Shhh, please don't say it."

Midas stand up and unknowingly left. He leaned against the wall, staggering.

All over the world, women and children experience such scary situations. It made his blood boil and his insides were turning upside down. A little girl... A very young little girl...

Larry found his son in a sorry state. He knew then that Kalonice and Candice were awake.

"Son," he called to let him know that he's in the room.

Midas heard him and his gaze remained on the floor.

"Dad, why do bad things happen to little girls?"

That's something his father couldn't answer.

"I'm scared. What if that happens to Contessa, too?" He's referring to her little sister who's still a baby. Very cute and innocent.

"Don't say things like that, Larzen," Larry reprimanded him, "They'll be dead before they can get near her. They're safe with me."

"But you're here and they're away?"

Larry placed his hand on his worrying son's shoulder.

"Son, nothing of sort will happen to your sister and mother. Even when I'm dead, I won't let such thing happen to our ladies. You know what we're capable of. Isn't that the reason why you called me in the first place?"

Midas balled his fists.

Larry pulled his son for a hug. His son is still innocent about how the world works and the human nature. If his basis of evil is his very own haughty, mean, and arrogant attitude, then he's all wrong.

Murder. Deception. The seven deadly sins... There's so much more to know and he will know once he's ready.

They got everything under their control. News have spread about what happened to Kalonice Montecristo's little sister and countless articles and posts have been made. Most are sympathetic, the same hypocrites who judged her when she accidentally pour food on Midas.

The suspect is dead; but they used someone to play as the suspect for the media. When he was 'captured' by the authorities, the fake suspect's face was covered in a towel. The rest is history.

Yzaguirres are engineers, and they're good at plotting.

Larry sat his son down on the bleachers outside Kalonice's room. They're in the company hospital. Very private and secure. Ali and Francis were sent to a nearby hotel for the meantime to rest and Secretary Sean is looking after them.

"Tell me about what happened now,"

It's been a day since the event, but for Midas, it felt like it just happened earlier. He can't forget the experience. He was afraid for what could've been. He was afraid that it might be too late. His heart is still erratic; he can't move on yet.

But the thing he can't forget most was Kalonice's change.

"Her eyes were green," he said as he replay the chilling memory in his mind, "She stabbed him countless times and only stopped when she's exhausted. There's no remorse. I can't feel her wrath either. There was only bloodlust...and I'm scared of what I've seen."

"Green eyes? But...her eyes are blue...?" Larry was so confused.

Midas palmed his face, nodding.

"I know it's impossible to happen, but my sight is still as clear as water. That's what I have seen. Ask your men and they will tell you the same thing. Her eyes really...turned green. And they're glowing. When she looked at me, I thought she will jump on me next."

Larry believed his son, but it still made him wonder. He's never heard of such thing before. Some kind of supernatural, he thinks, but he don't think that Kalonice is a superhuman. She is but not in the literal sense.

"Let's not dwell into their matters. We're just here to help. Kalonice Montecristo is...an intern. I don't think we're close enough yet to invade their privacy. So, whatever you've seen, forget it. If she can't remember what happened, tell her that you did it. You're the one who turned the suspect in to the authorities and that she fell and hit her head when she's looking for Candice. Are we clear?"

Midas nodded.

Larry pat his back and smiled wryly, "Cheer up. Anyone who will dare touch your mom and sister will die by my hands. And if they harm you and my Army, they'd be sorry."

"Why didn't you when she did that to me?"

Larry was taken off guard. His son is very talkative this time. Was he that shock?

"Do you want me to?"

Midas raised his stares to him, "Say the word and I will ruin her life. Just because I'm treating her normally doesn't mean I have forgotten, son. I let her off the hook because her father is my best friend. Say the word and I will ruin Jarrah and I wouldn't care about what Octavius will say."

Midas shook his head and stands up.

"Nah, let her be. I don't give a fuck about her anymore. Anyway, anyway," he walked to the door and twisted its knob. Before he got in, he looked back at his father and smiled,

"I think I would love to be a father, soon."

Larry was dumbfounded.

"What---"

Midas shut the door on his face. Kalonice and Candice are sleeping together, hugging each other tight with wet cheeks. He gently wiped their tears using his fingers and sat down to guard them. He can't help but study them both.

Candice is so cute. Her cheeks are rosier because of crying.

Anyone who will see them together so close will mistake them as mother and daughter. Somehow, they share distinctive facial features; like their eye shape, eyebrows, and ears. Candice's auburn hair is long and curly, while Kalonice's is golden brown and straight. The colors of their hair aren't far from each other's shades. Lastly, Candice's eyes: amber.

"You're so cute, baby girl," he whispered and couldn't help but pinch Candice's chubby cheek lightly.

He smiled. He suddenly miss his baby sister and decided to call his mother.

"Hello, Mom. Where's Contessa?"

Gwynedd find it odd that he called first to ask about his sister. Usually, it's her when his siblings asks for him.

[She's here, playing.] She double tapped the screen to change into the back camera of her phone, showing his sister playing with her five loud brothers.

[How's the little girl and Montecristo?] she asked.

"Asleep. Candice is really cute. I called because I miss Contessa,"

It made his mother smile.

[Kids, it's Kuya Larzen. Come,]

His siblings stopped playing from their playpen and cheered, "Larzen!"

The boys ran to her, leaving their baby sister crawling quickly. The eldest of the five went back and carried her to bring her to their mother.

[Zeze!] Contessa babble and took the phone for herself. Gwynedd turned the phone to the front and so the video call.

"Hello, President."

They talked further, saying how much they miss each other. The quintuplet shared their silly stories about their funny play pretend and Midas would laugh every time. With their noise, Candice was awakened.

"Oh, sorry, little miss,"

Candice looked around. She's calm when she found Kalonice. She get up, brushing her eyes using her hands.

"I want hotdogs," she said with teary eyes.

[Who's that, Larzen?] his nosy brothers asked, fitting their faces in the camera.

Midas took Candice and carried her. He showed her to them.

"This is Candice---"

The quintuplet gasped dramatically, [Mom! Larzen had a baby! It's a girl!]

Like father, like sons.