“Why should we thank you?” Alec shot back.
Calvin’s face lost its color.
He swallowed hard.
Were these kids not afraid of Adrian at all?
Men twice their size wouldn’t dare to speak to the Don of the Moretti family in that kind of tone.
Adrian arched a brow.
“This is the second time I helped you.
Don’t you think a ‘thank you’ is due?”
Alec crossed his arms over his chest while Abby looked at Adrian with confusion.
The little girl thought the man before them looked familiar.
She tilted her head, studying him.
Where had she seen him before?
“We didn’t ask for your help at the market plaza!
You’re the one who assumed we’re beggars!” Alec replied.
Only then did Abby realize who Adrian was.
“I didn’t say that,” Adrian retorted.
“You don’t have to say that, but why offer us money?” Alec narrowed his eyes.
“You’ve lost all your goods.
I thought compensation would be nice.”
Adrian wasn’t sure why he was arguing with a kid in public, but didn’t think he minded.
“Then are you going to compensate us this time?” the boy asked.
“Why should I compensate you?” Adrian asked.
He was genuinely curious what the boy would say.
“Because the one who tried to cheat us with money is one of your people.
He’s a bad guy!
You’re probably the same too!
A bad guy!” Alec pointed a finger at Adrian.
Adrian smiled.
Calvin’s hand clenched at his side.
He looked around, and thankfully, no one paid them any more attention after the man had been dragged away earlier.
Adrian was calm.
Too calm.
“Yes, I’m a bad guy.” He smiled wider.
“Smart boy.
How could you tell?”
Alec huffed.
“Easy.
You hire people like that man.”
“I don’t know him personally.” Adrian looked at the boy, amused.
“I wasn’t the one who decided to hire him.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Alec replied.
“Since you’re his boss, it’s only natural you compensate us for all the trouble he caused.”
Adrian’s expression turned serious.
“Tell me what you want.”
He half-expected them to ask him for money as compensation, but what Alec said caught him off guard.
“Then, can you help us buy this parfait for our mom?” Alec took the flyer from his sister’s hand and pointed at the biggest parfait on it.
“Yeah!” Abby chimed in.
“We don’t know how to buy it, Mister.
We also don’t know if we’re allowed to get inside.”
Calvin let out a slow breath.
These were young children.
His boss probably wouldn’t dare to take offense at their words.
Probably.
The walk to the cafe was quiet.
The children stayed close together, their eyes darting around.
When they reached the door, Abby hesitated, but Alec took her hand and guided her inside.
“Mister, we only want one parfait for our mom.
You want us to order for ourselves too?” Abby asked Adrian.
“Just order whatever you want.
One parfait alone isn’t enough as compensation.”
Alec and Abby shared a look, then shrugged.
They decided to order two different desserts so they could try them together.
Neither of them had ever ordered anything from a cafe before.
Calvin paid for the order and stood nearby while Adrian and the children sat at a table.
“Alec, you should try this!
It’s yummy!” Abby pushed her small cup toward her brother.
A smear of ice cream sat on her lips.
She swung her legs under the table, but they were too short to reach the floor.
Alec looked at his sister’s cup.
He wasn’t fond of strawberry and cheese flavors but decided to give it a try.
His sister looked so happy with her dessert.
“It’s good, right?” Abby asked excitedly.
Alec nodded, thinking trying it once was enough—but he’d try again if Abby asked.
He reached for his water glass and took a long drink.
“You should try mine too.” He moved his cup closer to his sister.
Abby picked up a spoonful and brought it to her mouth.
She scrunched her face, then looked at the coffee gelato with chocolate chips on top.
“It tastes strong, Alec,” she commented.
“I don’t like it!”
Across from them sat Adrian, who was watching them with interest.
The atmosphere was so different from the table he shared earlier with his mother.
There had been no laughter and warmth there.
“Didn’t you have any of these back home?” he asked.
The question hung in the air.
For a moment, neither child answered.
Alec’s face turned serious, as if he was reminded that he and his sister weren’t alone.
He glanced at the door, then back at Adrian.
“How do you know we’re not from here?” he asked suspiciously.
“You have a thick accent.
I’m guessing from Bellavere,” Adrian replied, not letting on that he’d already looked into them.
“Mister is good!
You’re right!
We were born in Bellavere!” Abby exclaimed.
But her brother said nothing.
His jaw hardened.
Alec pressed his lips together.
“We had ice cream from Bellavere.
It’s just that we only have it when it’s our birthday.”
Adrian didn’t ask why.
He could already tell that their small family was struggling for money.
“Is that why you’re selling goods?
Does your mother know what you are doing?”
Both children froze.
One looked at Adrian with suspicion, the other with wide eyes.
“Do you know our mom?” Alec asked.
Adrian considered his answer.
“I know her, but not that much,” he said eventually.
“Don’t tell our mom!” Alec said.
“She can’t know!”
“Why?”
“Because Mom already has a lot of things to worry about,” Abby answered on her brother’s behalf.
“She works late, and she’s always tired.
If she knew what we’re doing, she would be worried sick.”
“It’s the parents’ job to worry about their children,” Adrian pointed out.
“If something bad happens to both of you, how could you explain that to your mother without making her feel bad?”
The twins fell silent.
They hadn’t thought that far.
“B-but… we’ve been very careful,” Abby said in a low voice.
Her dessert was half eaten before her.
“I’m sure your mother trusts you, but that doesn’t mean she trusts other people.”
From the way their mother acted, he could tell she’d been wary of people around them.
Perhaps it was because of her scarred face, or the fact that she was raising two children alone.
He wondered what she was afraid of.
“Are you going to tell our mom?” Abby asked.
She glanced at her brother.
The milk can back home was already half full of money.
Adrian thought about it.
He really wasn’t in a position to say anything.
But it was indeed serious that these children were selling goods on their own.
He waved a hand to Calvin.
Calvin came to Adrian’s side at once.
Adrian whispered an order to his assistant.
“I won’t,” Adrian eventually told the children, “But from now on, don’t sell anywhere we don’t know.
Calvin will help you find safe spots in the commercial plaza.
You’ll have a special Moretti card pass.
Show it if others try to mess with you.”
Abby’s eyes went wide.
Alec’s arms uncrossed slowly.
He wasn’t sure if he’d heard Adrian right.
His eyes narrowed.
“What’s the catch?”