18 - Cheapest

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

***

"Hija, I don't mind. In fact, I am glad that you approached this matter to me. Because I was just about to tell the same thing to you. But what about Alice and Francis?"

It's Saturday and Kalonice is in Larry's office with Candice to ask for his permission if she can bring the girl with her to America. She can't leave Candice alone with her siblings after going through a traumatic experience. Candice needs her. Candice won't let her go either, always tailing her and asking to get carried everywhere.

Ali and Francis can handle themselves. They can cook their own food and clean the house. Unlike Candice, Ali and Francis are trustworthy and obedient. They won't do anything that will disappoint her. She will be gone only for a week. Ali and Francis managed to live by while she was overseas for a year, what's more for a week?

"Her passport?"

"A-About that..."

Larry smiled and understood.

"No worries, Hija. I will someone to process her passport. Surely before our flight her passport will be in your hands."

"T-Thank you, Sir. I'm sorry if 'Thank you' is all I can say to you. I-I will do my best. Always."

Larry laughed and nodded, "I'm sure you will. Midas is in your office. Anyways, I have a meeting to attend. Feel free to do whatever you want."

"Yes, Sir."

Candice sneaked a peek and waved her hand to him, "Bye, grandpa."

Kalonice left and went to the office she shares with Midas. He was gasping when they saw him, facing his computer that was turned off.

"What are you doing?"

"What?" He said fast, voice flat and still panting.

"Why are you panting? What did you do?"

Midas rolled his eyes, "None of your business."

The truth is, he was outside his father's office and was eavesdropping. He had to sprint like crazy to return to their office. Meanwhile, his father was laughing his ass off after watching his son from the surveillance camera.

"Papa..." Candice mutter softly, getting his attention.

They weakly smiled at each other.

Kalonice went to her seat and put Candice on an extra chair. She opened her tablet and have her watch cartoons, but it's obvious that Candice is not enjoying it. She's not bored, it's just that... She wants to do something else.

The gifts Midas bought for her was in the room. Kalonice didn't bring it in their home. That's why Candice was even more upset when they returned. She loved the gifts and wanted to play with them.

Kalonice can't stand the suffocating silence in the room because of them. Midas was pretending to work but will constantly steal glances of Candice.

"Stop it, you two," she told them while turning on the computer and pulling out her research paper drafts. She's not dumb to not notice their 'little communication'.

"What?" Midas feigned ignorance.

"I know what you're doing. Stop it. We have talked about it."

"Talked about what?"

Kalonice glared at Midas.

"Mommy," Candice hold her hand, "Please?"

Midas waited and so was Candice. Kalonice breathes in.

Midas wrote something on a piece of paper and pushed his wheeled seat towards her table. He left the paper on her table and rolled back to his.

It was a simple note.

'Let us play, monster'

Her jaw dropped and gave Midas a look of disbelief, but he wasn't looking at her and was exchanging gestures with Candice. Caught him in the act, it was too late for him to act 'busy'.

"Fine. Just for today---"

Her words were not finished yet when Candice instantly jumped off the chair and went to Midas, and Midas took her and together, they're out of the room. Fast as fuck, faster than light.

It was as if it was already planned!

"MIDAS YZAGUIRRE!"

Kalonice pushed her chair back to run to the door. Midas and Candice laughed at her and went inside the elevator. They waved their hands to her.

"You---!"

Kalonice massaged her nape when she felt her blood pressure rising.

"Ah, they're so... Goodness,"

She went back inside and fished her phone from her bag to call Midas.

"MIDAS YZAGUIRRE---"

Again, she was cut off. By Candice.

[Mommy, we're going to the mall again! Thank you, Mommy! I love you so much!]

Her heart danced and was warmed. She massaged her nape again.

God, there's no stopping them both.

Fine. There's nothing she can do about it anyway. The more she stop the both of them, the more they will want to sneak and play behind her. She give up. Candice is too cute to resist.

"Give the phone to him."

[Okay, Mommy! Papa, here, Mama!]

[What do you want?]

Kalonice snarled at him, "My daug---sister! Ugh, Midas Yzaguirre. I'm telling you---they will devour us!"

She heard Midas snicker, [Who will dare? Let them talk. They're just jealous and envious. Right, baby girl? --- Yes, Papa! You're going to protect me, right? --- Of course, I will. I'm Daddy.]

It stressed Kalonice more. She massages her temple, calming her nerves.

"Does it not terrify you at all?"

Midas knew how the media works. All.too.well.

[Just trust me, Kalonice. I'll be the safest place there will ever be.]

And he hang up the call with Candice's precious chuckle in the background.

Somehow, just somehow, hearing that assurance from him lifted some of the weights she's carrying on her shoulders.

With a peace of mind, Kalonice went on spending the day by accomplishing the rest of her research paper and communicating with Secretary Sean to finalize the schedule of their flight and the matters they will be attending to. Then, she found out that there will be a press conference for her first during the day and the auction will be held at night.

She maximized the use of her time by finishing her research presentation, too. After that, she practiced answering possible research questions she found on the internet. Larry and Secretary Sean can't help but smile. She's working so hard. It will be fruitful.

.

.

.

"Mommy... Mommy, wake up,"

Kalonice jolted and looked around her. Her eyes crossed for how close Candice's face was.

"What time is it?"

"8 pm!" Candice answered, "We're early!"

'Early!?'

Kalonice wiped her face. Her table is a mess. She is a mess. She didn't know that she had fallen asleep.

"Mommy, let's eat!"

Midas placed the paper bags on her table. It's all food.

"Did you have fun?"

Kalonice took Candice from the ground and sat her on her lap. Candice happily nodded, "Yes, Mommy! Very! Daddy bought me many nice things! Look, he bought me diamonds!"

She fling her wrist to show Kalonice her designer bracelet.

Kalonice gaped her mouth to Midas who cleared his throat and made himself busy by collecting her papers and putting it aside to leave space for their food.

"Yzaguirre," Kalonice called firmly, in a warning tone.

"It's the cheapest one, don't worry."

'Diamonds, cheap!?'

And a diamond tennis bracelet at that?

"I like it very much!"

Candice showed off her pink diamond bracelet. Kalonice forced a smile and praised her. She looked at it, checked the embedded signature of the brand behind it, and found As they eat, Kalonice secretly opened the search engine in her phone to look into the 'cheapest one' bracelet's price.

It's a one hundred forty-fucking-nine thousand dollar bracelet!

Kalonice's eyes snapped up to Midas so fast she almost gave herself whiplash.

"CHEAPEST!?"

The two jumped in fright after blurting it out. No way in hell a 149,000 usd bracelet is the cheapest in the market! And he bought it and gave it to Candice as a GIFT!?

"Mommy, Shhh! No noisy!" Candice, oblivious to her sister's impending cardiac arrest, said while chewing. She's watching Newflix while eating. Midas is feeding her.

Kalonice sat back as she try to pull herself together. Her body feels cold and stiff. She didn't get to enjoy her meal.

Oh, they will be the death of her.

~

"Lay her down here," Kalonice whispered while preparing the bed for Candice who's fallen asleep on their way home.

"Daddy... Hnggh, don't go, Papa."

Candice grabbed onto Midas's sleeves and cried.

"Shhh, shhh. I won't. Sleep. Sleep well, baby girl," he said while patting her thigh lightly. Candice believed him.

"Barby,"

Kalonice passed her favorite doll to Midas and he put it between her arms. Now, she and Barby are playing in her dreams together.

"Let's talk outside," she told him and left first after placing pillows on Candice's sides.

Kalonice check on Ali and Francis. They're doing assignments and projects.

"Do you want snacks?" Kalonice asked them. They both looked her way and nodded with a smile.

"I want some nuggets, Ate. And hot chocolate," Francis requested.

"Mine are biscuits, nuggets, fries, and hot chocolate, too, Ate. Thank you."

"Me too, hot chocolate."

The siblings squinted their eyes on Midas who's creeping behind Kalonice.

"W-What? I'm a guest?"

"Uninvited and unwanted," Kalonice rolled her eyes on him and went to the kitchen.

"Sit there and wait for me."

Midas sat on the couch. Kalonice opened the television for him and cooked her siblings' requested snacks.

"Do you want anything else other than hot chocolate?"

Midas rubbed his hands together, stiff and adjusting to make himself comfortable in their cozy, little home.

He's never been to a place like this. So small but very neat and tidy. The smallest space he's been into was inside his cars and when he's in a plane.

"Uhhm, do you have almonds? Maybe, ham?"

Kalonice gave him a bored look and faced him with her hands on her waist.

"You know what, you're a guest. You will eat whatever I'm gonna make you."

"O-Okay..."

Kalonice hissed and tied her hair into a bun before getting into business. Midas gulped and looked away, distracting himself by watching TV.

He changed the channels, looking for something worth watching, until he got one.

It's about Jarrah Lisieux and her upcoming first walk as an angel of Victorina's Secret.

He changed the channel again. This time, it's about Caedmon Alterio.

Life must be fucking him again to do that.

"Sir Caedmon Alterio, is it true that your self-made automobile is in the works? When are you going to release it?" The reporter asked as he try to get nearer to him.

Caedmon Alterio's bodyguards pushed the press away from him. Based on the background, Midas could tell that he's in an airport. Caedmon Alterio has a good fashion sense. Of course, his fashion sense is better. From his head down to his toes, all he's ever worn were luxury and high-end signature brands. He's allergic to cheap products.

He turned the television off and dawdled to the kitchen to watch Kalonice instead.

"What are you doing here? I'm busy,"

"But I'm bored."

"Watch TV."

"Boring~" He rolled his eyes. He pulled a chair for himself and sat by the counter while Kalonice is on the other side, cooking.

"What are you cooking?" He asked lazily while scrolling through his phone.

"I thought of cooking carbonara, too. Do you want some?"

"Alright. Do you want me to buy something outside?"

He opened his Instegram and took photos of Kalonice in good and artistic angles and perspectives.

"Buy milk for Candice," she said and pulled her card from her wallet. She slide it in front of him and went back to cooking, "And chewable vitamins for her. She hates syrups, so I want her to try gummy vitamins. Prebiotics and Probiotics, too. For good digestion."

"What about you?"

Kalonice looked at me, "What about me?"

"What do you want?"

She shrugged, "Nothing. Go while it's still early. And use my card, Yzaguirre."

Midas didn't listen to her and left. He ignored her card on the counter. He will use his, he will pay. He's not poor. Like what Candice said before, he's a sugar daddy.

It's actually not bad to be one, he thinks so.