A/N: The chapter ahead is raw, which means it has not yet been proofread or edited.
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"Ali, Francis, Candice, get up now and take a bath. Get up! You'll be late for school!"
Francis got up first, but his eyes are still closed.
"I don't want to go to school!" Candice turned her back and hugged Ali, who yawned and opened her eyes.
"Ay, Candice. Get up." Kalonice said with a warning tone, so Candice threw tantrums and rolled on the floor.
"No! I don't want to go to school! I'm sick!" She faked an exaggerated series of coughing. Nobody bought it.
"Then, I'm not giving my gift to you. I bought gifts for everyone yesterday and I forgot to give it to you. Francis is taking a bath now, so I will give his."
"Is it a doll!?"
They've never seen Candice get up so fast ever.
Kalonice chuckled and pulled the huge hand bag to take out the gifts she bought for them.
"WOW! A Barby doll!" Candice jumped in delight and ran around while waving the gift over her head.
"Thank you, Mama! It's a Barby doll!"
Then Kalonice noticed the silence of Ali.
"Did you not like it?"
Ali smiled a little, "Ate, I'm too old for toys already. But thank you. I will use it to play with Candice sometimes."
Kalonice smiled and nodded.
Ali and Candice took a bath together. Candice is singing about how beautiful her doll was while showering, and Ali is so annoyed about loud she was. Francis is so happy to receive a robot as a gift.
Kalonice helped them prepare. She dressed them, brushed and tied their hair, and left to eat breakfast at McRonald's.
"Mama, fries! With sundae! Mommy!" Candies pointed the Happi Meal, "With the toy!"
"Candice, you're so loud!" Ali whispered to her firmly while they're in a line. Francis was left to reserve their seat but they already got his order.
"Nye, nye, nye!" Candice made faces and went to the other side of Kalonice. She stick her tongue out at Ali.
"Candice, don't be like that. That's mean and rude."
Candice pouted and used her weapon puppy eyes.
"That won't work," said Kalonice, but she's squirming inside because of how cute Candice is.
When they got their orders, they ate happily. Kalonice fed Candice since she's playing with her Barby doll. After that, she sent them to their school and talked with their teachers to ask about their performances and behaviors.
She heard lots of good things about Ali and Francis. They're both excellent students and are always participating actively in competitions. Both are athletic, too. Ali plays basketball and Francis plays volleyball. Both are captains in their respective teams.
As for Candice...
Kalonice palmed her forehead while shaking her head when she heard about her little troubles. Like her, the child is bright, just a troublemaker.
~
With her documents at hand, Kalonice stepped forward to process her papers at the Registrar's Office. The personnel inside were surprised.
"Ms. Montecristo! You're back!"
She smiled at them and exchanged greetings.
"You should meet the President right away. I'm sure she will be delighted! We didn't know you'd be coming back! What a surprise, really!"
"Thank you, Ma'am. I will. I will renew my scholarships first and pay her a visit. The second semester will start next week, I suppose?"
"Yes, Ms. Montecristo. The Scholarship and Financial Assistance Office is open today but only until 10 am today. Go while the Head is still there!"
"Thank you, Ma'am!"
The Head personnel completed and signed her documents first to finalize her enrollment and make it official before giving her the copy. Kalonice collected her papers and left to meet the Head of the Scholarship and Financial Assistance Office. She shared a few talks with the Head, talking about her experiences as an exchange student.
Kalonice, though she's not very much aware of it, is known in their campus, especially in their department among the seniors. They would opt to ask her for commissions like finishing their drafts, plates, come up with a proposal, and other academic works. She's a respected figure, a student leader, and former Associate Editor of their campus' official publication. She was not the athletic type and she also was the former main vocalist of the school's band. Known for being a good singer, people will sometimes send her requests to sing in events. Of course, she's paid. They know her, aware of her humble beginnings and humble personality, that's why her services were paid with a bonus.
Now, she's at the President's Office. They talked and talked. The school forbids favoritism and bias, but it seems like Kalonice is an exception. A straight President's Lister, not only that, her works and skills are getting recognition. Stakeholders are interested in her and had been watching her journey since her freshman year after winning a national competition with her plate. She's a step closer to the international had her mother not ruin the opportunity for her. Her mother broke her leg and wounded her hands so she would not go, leaving Kalonice disabled for months. It was one of the worst months of her life.
"I'm so glad that you finally moved out. It takes courage to do that, Ms. Montecristo. I'm so happy for you."
Kalonice thanked the President while wiping her face with a tissue she got from his table.
"Thank you, Ma'am. I, too, am proud of myself. I didn't think that it would be possible, because I love my mother still even though... You know, she's like that, broken."
The President gave her a reassuring smile and touched her hand.
Not wanting to let her go yet, the President treat her lunch in her office. There, they continued their conversation. This time, about her last semester in ALY-IC.
"So, you only have two courses to take for the semester. Those are?"
"Thesis Research, Sustainable Design specialization, then our Comprehensive Examination, Ma'am. I've done the first half of my research before and I will finish it here this semester."
"Yes, yes, I heard. What's your title then? How did the defense go? The panels didn't roast you much, I wish?" the President chuckled.
Kalonice awkwardly smiled and scratched her cheek, "Well, it was almost trashed by one of the panels but my adviser helped me get through it."
"What? What happened? Who is it?"
"Mr. Chris Hammer. He wanted to change my research into something innovative and futuristic. He didn't like my title: Integrating Biophilic Design into Urban Architecture for Sustainable Living. He just didn't like the whole thought of it."
"Oh, I knew him! He's really like that since! Gosh, what's wrong with that university and he's still there?" the President could only shake her head.
"Anyways, we will announce this at the reorientation, but I'll inform you first since you're here. We requested the founders and some stakeholders to serve as panels for the final defense of our future graduates. Hopefully, they will accept. That will be our biggest event if ever and a much bigger opportunity for you, future graduates. They are leaders and if they liked your work, who knows? Maybe they will take you in as an intern. You can spend your 2-year apprenticeship under their company, pass the board, and the rest is up to you. Stay there or go, it's all on you."
Kalonice gasped and even covered her gaping mouth.
"Really, Ma'am?"
The President smirked and nodded, "Yes. Bet the others heard of it already though. And before I forgot, before the end of the last semester, we collected copies of the students' best plates to send to our founders' offices. Especially to Mr. Lisieux. Have you met Mr. Lisieux? Or any of the founders?"
And that put a question mark over Kalonice's head.
"N...No?"
The President was flabbergasted, "What!? You haven't!? Even Mr. Yzaguirre or Mr. Alterio!?"
Only one of the three names she mention rang a bell.
"O-Oh, I met Mr. Alterio!"
The President was relieved at least then asked her assistant to open the TV to orient Kalonice herself about the founders and stakeholders. Must be because Kalonice is a very busy person, and that her life only revolves about her inner world, that she don't know who the founders and some stakeholders are.
"ALY International Colleges was founded by Mr. Larry Zeno Yzaguirre, Mr. Octavius Lisieux, and Mr. Cain Alterio. They are the currently the Big 3 in the worldwide market. They are CEOs of their own companies and they are best friends since their school years."
The President flashed their pictures together on the screen. Kalonice was mesmerized about the men's good-looks, especially about Octavius Lisieux's pair of heterochromic eyes. His left eye is green, while the right eyes has another condition, central heterochromia. The other color was grey, and the small spot is blue.
"I know, Ms. Montecristo, I know. They're all the best works of God, but they're all married already," the President joked when she noticed how fixated she was on their faces.
She blushed, embarrassed.
"Mr. Larry Zeno Yzaguirre is an engineer, Mr. Octavius Lisieux is an architect, while Mr. Cain Alterio is a bit of both, but he's more inclined into automotives. A quick history, Mr. Yzaguirre came from nothing first before he became everything, while Mr. Lisieux and Mr. Alterio followed the footsteps of their families. They are the ones who made what was started flourish into what they are now. Let's talk about Mr. Cain Alterio first."
"The history of Mr. Cain Alterio started from when his great grandfather was once a mechanic. Then, his grandfather followed the great grandfather's steps and became an automotive engineer, but he had no luck in landing a proper job. He applied for renowned automobile companies but we're rejected because better applicants were everywhere. So, he gave up his dream and built simple vulcanizing shop to still fulfill his dream."
And Kalonice thought, 'Oh, how very sad. Giving up on a dream is very bitter to taste,' because she once almost gave up her dream to become an Architect.
"Now, Mr. Cain Alterio's father continued the footsteps of his grandfather and father, got the same degree, and landed a job at Vord Motor Company. He worked there for years and was earning promotion. When Mr. Cain Alterio was born, he showed the same passion they had and during a press conference, he said this."
The President played an old footage of the said press conference. Cain Alterio was young, she estimated that he's the same age as Candice during that time.
"Daddy, I wanna talk. I wanna talk, Daddy," the then-child Cain Alterio insisted stubbornly while sitting on his father's lap. He's taking the mic for himself while his father is still talking, and the people laugh at his silly child antics.
"Alright, my son wants to talk. Here, what do you want to say?"
Cain Alterio looked at everyone, then at the CEO of Vord Motor Company, and smirked while pointing at him,
"I'm gonna beat you. When I grow up, I will make my own broom broom and you will be sorry."
People laughed at his challenge. The CEO, too, and didn't let it get through him. Just a child making the adults laugh, a child with dreams.
"Alright. We will see. If not, I will make you your Daddy be a janitor for a year."
20 years later, Cain Alterio has successfully established his name and own automotive company, the Alterio Global Automotive and Transportations Company, sharing a drink with his father while talking to his father's father and his father's father's father who are resting peacefully in their mausoleum.
"Isn't it amazing, how the sons followed their father's footsteps? It's very inspiring and I heard a film or documentary about them are in the works. The Alterio legacy will go on since Mr. Cain Alterio's eldest son, Caedmon Alterio, is next in line."
Kalonice felt cold and froze upon hearing the name.
Caedmon.
Yes, Caedmon, her Caedmon, is the same Caedmon Alterio the President just mentioned. Now you know why she wants to run away. She will only be a stain to his name, to the name 'Alterio' that's been polished and still has been polishing by his father and grandfathers.
Just flings, they are. One of his girls, she was.
Caedmon Alterio is a womanizer.
"Here we have next is Mr. Octavius Lisieux. His family and wealth dates back to the old times. They are landowners, property buyers, and property sellers. The generational legacy ended when the heir, Mr. Octavius Lisieux, took a different path and pursued architecture. Now, he's the head of the world's leading architectural firm and the owner of Lisieux Real Estates, Properties and Architectural Firm."
Kalonice unconsciously clapped her hands to commend the man. Something ignited her burnout drive---Octavius Lisieux inspired her to push through her chosen career harder!
"So, Ms. Montecristo, do you best during your final defense,especially if Mr. Lisieux is one of the panels. He will surely see your passion and talent. Most of our graduates from different departments are working under their companies. Especially under Mr. Yzaguirre."
Kalonice, though she haven't heard his story yet, already felt the chills. Another great man. Oh, it excites her to know more!