23 - Spent

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

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"Daddy, look! This is cute! I think Ate Ali will like this!" Candice said while holding the cute headphones with cat ears.

"You think so?" Candice nodded with a grin. They add it in their cart.

They're in the same shop, still buying gadgets. He bought phones for Kalonice's siblings, too, and sim cards with an automatic renewal plan connected to his card. He bought a tracker for them that can be monitored using a phone. Knowing Kalonice, their safety and security are her biggest worries. With it, she will always be at ease.

After checking out, they left the shop and went to another. This time, he will buy computers. One for Kalonice and one for her siblings.

He's a nerd when it comes to computers since he play online games and will stream his games in real-time. He built the best computer set for them.

"D-Daddy, this is so expensive!?" Candice cried out after seeing the total price of the computer sets he arranged.

Midas chuckled and kissed her cheek.

"You're saying that now after all this time?"

Candice was stunned, then she giggled, "Yeah! I forgot you're my Daddy!"

"That's right, baby. That's right."

The staff accepted his black card with shaking hands. They couldn't believe that the Midas Yzaguirre graced their store with his presence and knowledge about computer builds. They're blessed BLESSED.

He also bought computer tables and comfortable chairs. Oh, and an all-in-one printer, too.

"MIDAS YZAGUIRRE!"

Yep, he knew. He had prepared himself in advance, but it still frightened him and made him jump.

"What's all this!? Did I ask you to buy all that!?"

Candice hugged her big tablet with a cute, pink case.

"Mommy, I love it!"

"Shut it, Candice!"

Startled and offended, the sensitive Candice cried big tears.

Kalonice massaged the bridge of nose and paced back and forth. Francis and Ali are waiting for them, seated in the dining table.

"T-This is for... Uhmm..."

"FOR WHAT!?"

Midas gulped and put Candice down. Though afraid, he stepped to her side and whispered, "For letting me kiss you earlier."

Kalonice's eyes widened.

He spent an estimated amount of 400,000 pesos in return for letting him kiss her!?

Wait, she didn't let him! He let himself!

"Fuck---" Kalonice turned around and looked up with eyes closed, composing herself, calming herself.

"Leave it there and sit."

"Yes, Ma'am!"

Midas instantly picked Candice and brought themselves to the table. He smiled at her siblings and looked at the food served on the table.

"Midas, pray." She said as she pull a chair and joined them.

"M-Me?"

"Is there another Midas Yzaguirre here!?"

Yup, she's still angry.

"I-In the name of the Father, and of the Son..."

After praying, Kalonice put food on Candice's plate.

"M-Me, too..."

Kalonice glared at him.

"Are you a child?"

"I'm not used to serving my own food!" He reasoned just so she will serve him.

Kalonice clicked her tongue and put the fried rice on his plate. She cooked adobo, fried rice, hotdogs, eggs, and bacons, and fried chicken for dinner. The first time Midas took a bite with her adobo, his soul ascended to heaven.

"Daddy, are you okay?"

"Ate, is he okay?"

They worried when he's not moving. He closed his eyes and chew as a trail of tear cascade down his cheek.

"Good fucking food. Good as fuck food."

"You're so dramatic!" But she was blushing hard. Candice laughed at him and so her other siblings who are still hostile to him. But seeing him cry like an idiot over their sister's delicious cooking, they finally accepted him.

They sometimes cry, too, when their food is that good. Their sister is a good cook.

Finished, never once in his life did Midas burp as loud as he did. They were flabbergasted and he was so embarrassed, but they laughed it off. Candice burped as well and they laughed louder and harder.

Ali and Francis volunteered to wash the dishes. Candice is already playing, again, with her toys and tablet, while Kalonice was wiping the table and organizing the groceries in the refrigerator. Midas? He's assembling their computers in their rooms.

"Wow~"

Ali and Francis were so amazed. They've never seen a computer as badass as his build! It's very colorful because of the playing lights (it can be turned off), too!

"What are you going to say?" Kalonice.

Ali and Francis, shy, looked at Midas and smiled, "T-Thank you, Kuya Midas!"

Midas, smug, grins, "You're very welcome. I heard you were excellent students. You deserve that. Very deserved,"

He didn't forget to give their tablets and phones. Kalonice was behind them, massaging her temples. It's not like there's still something she can do about it. Had she known, she wouldn't have let Midas go earlier.

Midas helped them understand how to use their gadgets until it's late in the night. They played online games together as a team. Yes, even with Candice.

[Fucking noob! Stop playing this game! Are you stupid!? The enemy is behind you!] One of their teammates trash-talked. It's a 10v10.

"I-Is he talking about me?" Ali was shocked and hurt.

"Wait for me," Midas excused himself and went out of their house. He closed the door.

"You fucking son of a dog! How dare you talk shit when you're fucking mid!?"

And blah, blah. He handled the toxic player by giving him a much greater toxicity back. When he realized that he's playing with the Midas Yzaguirre, he saw how his life and career in real life burn before their eyes. The same thought ran in their other teammates' minds. The enemy players recognized him by his in-game name, the same name he uses across all gaming platforms he have. It became his signature name even.

"Midas_LrznYzgrr."

It's him. The real deal.

When he returned, they played a new game. Candice suggested the game. A dress-up game.

Kalonice noticed how late it is and remembered about their flight. Nobody saw it coming. The slipper flew on its own to Midas.

"IT'S LATE! You dummy! We have a flight to America first thing in the morning! Ali, Francis, go to your rooms and sleep. You have classes tomorrow, too! Hurry, hurry! Playtime is over!"

Ali and Francis followed her and turned their gadgets off. They kissed Candice and Kalonice goodnight and went to their room to sleep. Candice was still playing, so Kalonice confiscated her gadget and bath her. After giving her milk, she left her in their room to sleep alone with her dolls.

"Daddy! I want Daddy!"

"Candice, no! Sleep!"

Midas stand up and charged their gadgets in the living room.

"It's okay. I'll put her to sleep," he said to Kalonice who's panicking. She's double checking their luggage and her handbag, then prepared the clothes they will wear tomorrow. Ali and Francis's ironed school uniforms, too.

Midas laid beside Candice on the bed. Candice scoot over to him closer and closed her eyes while holding her bottle of milk.

"America-yah~"

Midas chuckled and pat her thigh to help her sleep faster.

"I'm taking a half bath. Stay with her."

"I wanna go, too," he teased and Kalonice threw the hanger at him.

"Perv."

She brought her pajamas with her and went into the bathroom.

He heard his phone ringing, so he left Candice's side for a while to get it and returned. It's a call.

"What do you want from me?"

[That's not the best way to greet your Daddy.] It's his father, Larry.

"Whatever. What is it?"

[WELL, I CALLED TO ASK THE GREATEST SON IN THE WORLD ABOUT HIS LOCATION. WHERE ARE YOU? Your stupid house is empty and your mother is worrying about you! I heard what you did again! Why did you leave when it's Ms. Montecristo's turn to defend her thesis!?]

Candice looked up to him. She could hear Larry.

"Grandpa?" she whispered, sleepy.

"Shhh, don't mind him." Candice closed her eyes again.

"I will tell you later. I'm spending the night here at her place. Bye." He ended the call and went to check his mother's messages.

Shit. Missed calls and dozens of messages left unread! He's doomed.

To: My Mom ❤️

Sorry, Mom. Call you later. Sorry.

He left his phone on the bedside table and cuddled Candice.

When Kalonice stepped out of the shower, she found them asleep together already.

She sighed.

What kind of setup did she just put herself into again?

Kalonice only slept for two hours. She slept in the couch. She double checked their luggage again and her handbag, prepared her clothes and Candice's, then cooked their breakfast. When the clock strikes 5 am, she woke Ali first and then Francis. Ali went to bath first, so Francis had his breakfast first while watching news.

"Midas, Candice, wake up. Wakey-wakey!"

Both groaned and turned aside while brushing their eyes with the back of their hands. They opened their eyes, too, at the same time and looked at her.

"Mommy, I smell hotdogs," sleepy Candice said as Kalonice pull her up.

"Yes, I cooked hotdogs. Come to Mama,"

Candice raised her hands to be carried. Kalonice gave Midas a look. He got up and followed them.

After eating breakfast, Ali and Francis were both ready to go.

"Here, I will leave this money in this drawer. This is your allowance to school, then this is for your expenses. We filled the fridge so eat and cook whatever you want. Make sure to lock the doors and windows always before you go, okay?" Kalonice said and closed the drawer in their cabinet. It's where she hid their money.

"Yes, Ate. Thank you."

"Okay, okay. Go, you will be late. Be careful always." She gave them kisses first letting them go.

Midas stretched his arms, "I'll take them. I'm going home and come back here to fetch you we'll go altogether and meet Dad at the airport,"

"You don't have to. We will commute---"

"Shut up, you won't. Candice, don't leave without Papa, okay?"

Candice nodded. She's still eating, watching cartoons on her tablet.

"Yes, Papa! Bye-bye~!"

Midas waved his hand to him and led the siblings to his car.

Kalonice sighed and locked the doors.

"Candice, finish your meal. Let's take a bath together?"

"Okay!"