16 - Mall

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

***

"She's someone's sister, silly! Candice, they're my brothers. And that's my baby sister, Contessa."

Candice looked up to him and he smiled down on her. Candice looked at their faces.

"They look alike. It's weird," she murmured before turning around to face Midas. She embraced him and rested her head on his hard chest.

[Mommy, look! She's sleeping on Larzen's chest! I want, too!]

The quin brought the phone to their mother who's busy pumping breastmilk for the five of them. Yes, all of them still drink milk.

Gwynedd stopped what she's doing and wore her dress properly before facing her son.

[Is that her? Candice?]

Candice looked at her then turned her head to the other side.

"Hnngh, Papa, I want hotdogs. Buy me hotdogs. I don't like them."

Midas carried her properly and gave his mother a forced smile.

"I'm sorry, Mom. Call you again sometime. The girl is hungry,"

[I understand. I'm busy, too. Tell your father that I'm meeting your aunties tomorrow, okay?]

"I will. Bye, Mom. I love you."

It warmed Gwynedd's heart, [I love you, too, Larzen. Take care always. Can't wait to see you again.]

And they ended the call. He wrote a note for Kalonice and pasted it on her forehead. He was grinning while walking out with Candice.

"Little miss, you're safe with me. You will be fine," he comforted Candice when she started crying after seeing the male employees of YAECC.

"I don't like them. I don't like."

Midas pat her back gently. She's hugging him so tightly, afraid and trembling.

"I don't like them, too."

Candice buried her face on his neck and never looked around her. On their way out, they encountered Larry and Secretary Sean.

"Wow, look, a kidnapper," the shocked Larry teased, "Where are you taking her?"

"She wants hotdogs,"

"Oh? Have you asked the chefs of the cafeteria?"

Midas hissed. Larry is wasting their time.

"I want to show her around, too. Just---leave us alone, will you? You're creepy."

Candice sneak a peek to see who he's talking to. Larry noticed her and smiled. He even waved his hands.

"Who is he?"

"My dad. He's my dad." Midas introduced.

Candice looked through Larry; behind his kind face, she saw. Still, she could tell that he's not a bad guy.

"Is he my grandpa?"

Larry was astounded. Next was his boisterous laughter. Like an old man.

"Yes. Yes, darling girl. I am your grandpa!" He said and opened his hands to his sides.

Candice looked at Midas and he only smiled.

"Want him to hold you? He don't bite."

Larry lightly kicked his leg. He kicked his father back.

"Oh, come here, darling girl. Come to this grandpa!"

Larry harmlessly got her from Midas. At first, her guards were up. She's stealing glances of Secretary Sean. To let her know that he's not a 'bad guy', he did a little dance for her. That didn't made her smile.

Candice pursed her lips. Her eyes glistened with tears. Next, she's crying.

"O-Oh, what's wrong, darling girl? What's wrong?" Larry was genuinely worried. Did he do something wrong? Did he touched her the wrong way? The way that it triggered her trauma?

"I wanted a Daddy..." She blubbered.

Midas took her from Larry again and rocked her in his arms.

5 years old. His siblings are 5 years old, too, and their tongues are still twisted and can barely form complete sentences and words. But Candice? She already can. She's so mature for her age. Because of the environment she grew up in.

"Let's go get your ice cream with hotdog toppings,"

Midas nodded at his father and Larry nodded back at him. They stepped aside to give them a path. Secretary Sean stepped to the side to stand by Larry's side.

"Sir, I'm afraid that he will get her too attached to him. He's not even with Ms. Montecristo. Won't that sound trouble?"

And Larry laughed at his naivety.

Petting Secretary Sean's head, "You don't know anything about love's mysterious ways. Did you really think I paired him with Ms. Montecristo solely for business?"

Secretary Sean's jaw dropped.

"I want her in my family and I want her genes with my son's. Haist, Secretary Sean. You still have a long way to go." He ruffled Secretary Sean's hair and went on.

"I-I'm sorry if I'm still lacking, Sir!"

"And we're here."

Midas parked his car by the mall's main entrance. The valet attendant stood by his door, waiting for him to come out.

He noticed Candice was struggling with her seatbelt, "Let me help you."

"Thank you, Papa."

Midas wore his shades, "You're welcome, little miss. Come to Daddy now. Come."

Candice stand up on the passenger seat and went to him. He carried her and went out. He gave his keys to the valet attendant and went inside.

Candice, who was never been inside a mall as grand as where they are, was so amused and excited.

"Broom broom..." She whispered when she saw children and adults riding electric animal car.

"Want to ride that?"

Candice nodded slowly.

"Then, let's go."

Midas pulled his card wallet out to pay for a 30-minute ride. He put Candice on it and Candice didn't let his shirt go.

"I don't want to ride alone, Papa. I don't want."

"It's okay, I'm here," he assured her but she cried. So, he paid for another for himself. They rode side by side.

Candice is smiling again.

"Where do you want to go next?"

"I want chocolates."

"Chocolates, it is. Let's go find chocolates."

He brought her down not because he's tired. He smiled secretly when Candice didn't cry and walked on her own. And as he keep on watching her every second, he noticed how worn out her shoes are.

"Baby, let's buy new shoes and clothes,"

"Mommy didn't give me money, Papa."

Midas chuckled, "Do I look poor?"

Candice beamed a bright smile at him, "I'm gonna buy lots!"

"You should. I will buy it all."

Candice excitedly pulled him to the department store. Midas asked a staff for a cart and sat Candice there so she won't get tired. From clothes to shoes to accessories to school supplies---Midas let Candice choose whatever she loved and put them in the cart.

Carts.

"Toys! Broom-broom! Papa, I want that!"

Candice ran to the display of electric kiddie cars.

"You like cars?"

The child nodded fast, "Yes! And bikes!"

Midas pinched both her cheeks. She's so cute! So cute, like his dearest sister Contessa!

"Alright. Which one do you like?"

Though she saw the prices, Candice did not care and chose the most expensive one.

"Pink! I want it in color pink!"

Midas raised his hand to call the attention of the mall staff. They checked if they have a color pink car in the stock room. While waiting, Midas let Candice hoard all the toys she wanted.

"Barby! Look, Daddy, big Barby!" Candice hugged the box and brought it to Midas. She showed it to him, it is taller than her.

"Let's see what it do. I think it dances." He crouched down and opened the box. It's a very special doll; an umbrella musical doll.

Candice danced so happily. The doll is very beautiful!

Midas twisted its bottom and left it standing on the floor. A music played and the doll began rotating.

"Now you have a best friend."

"Thank you so much, Daddy!"

Candice jumped to hug him tight around his neck. He embraced her small body back while laughing.

"Let's buy one for my sister, too. Then, we will wrap it and I'll tell her it's a gift from you."

"Really!? Okay! Mine is pink, hers is white!"

When it's time to pay, Candice was the one who gave the card to the cashier. Midas whispered his pin code to her and was also the one who typed it on the pin pad.

When they returned late in the night, Kalonice welcomed them. Her hands were crossed and she's tapping her foot on the ground. Her aura is dark and they can't even paint the expression on her face on canvas.

"Do you two have any idea what time it is?"

Midas brought Candice down and to his defense, "It's not that late yet,"

'Not that late? It's 10 pm!' Kalonice raged internally.

"Mommy! Look, Papa bought me this!"

Meanwhile, Larry was chilling on the couch, drinking coffee. He was there to watch Kalonice scold Midas.

"Candice, what did I tell you?"

That slowed Candice down from running to her with her gifts. Her spirits instantly went down and so her head.

"But Mommy..."

Midas sent Kalonice gestures she couldn't comprehend. He's mouthing 'No' to her and pointing Candice.

Kalonice palmed her face and breathes in. She calmed down and knelt to Candice's level. She heard her sniffles and her tears were falling down the ground.

"Candice, we have talked about this, aren't we?"

Candice hugged her dolls tighter as she control her emotions.

"But he said it's fine..." She reasoned in a low, shaky tone.

"It's not. It's not fine," she told her again, "He's my boss's son and it's very inappropriate. What would other people think? That we're using whatever little we have to leech on them? Is that how you want us to look like? Like gold diggers?"

Midas advanced, about to say something and defend Candice when Larry faked a cough while shaking his head.

Seems like Kalonice have to make things clearer to Candice by taking the harsh way.