CHAPTER 5
1539 Words
Rainah’s POV
“Sister Apela, why are all the kids wearing formal clothes today?” I asked, placing the remaining cupcakes into a container. I had noticed it the moment I arrived — all the children were dressed so neatly, which was quite unusual. I wondered if someone special was coming.
“Oh, I almost forgot to mention it,” she said, smiling as she looked at the kids, who were busy devouring their cupcakes. “Mr. Delacruz will be visiting today. You should’ve seen their faces when Sister Johnsy informed them last night. It was priceless. They all decided together to dress formally.”
Delacruz.
I’ve heard of them. In fact, as far as I know, the company I work for is somehow connected to theirs. They’re powerful — very powerful. No one dares to mess with them. I even remember Lucy saying the youngest heir of the Delacruz Empire is known as the Dark Devil of the business world.
I don’t know why he’s called that, but I’m pretty sure he’s just like every other rich man — scary.
Yes, as far as I’ve seen, all rich and powerful people are intimidating.
“Sister, when will he be here?” I asked, secretly hoping it would be after I left. I didn’t want to cross paths with them.
“Sister Johnsy said he’ll arrive by ten,” she replied, unknowingly crushing my hopes. I glanced at my watch — it was almost ten.
Great. I guess I’ll get a glimpse of the mighty Delacruz after all.
Just then, we heard a car horn outside, followed by excited hoots and cheers from the kids. Sister Apela walked out of the kitchen to welcome them, but I stayed back. I wasn’t interested. I guessed the guests had arrived.
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Third Person POV
As the black SUV rolled up in front of the orphanage, the front door swung open. A tall, muscular man stepped out, dressed in a crisp black suit and dark sunglasses. He buttoned his coat neatly, then opened the back door of the vehicle.
His master stepped out, holding a stack of beautifully wrapped gifts in both arms.
From inside the car, Arthur had seen the kids eagerly lined up by the entrance. The sight of their pure, excited faces tugged at something deep inside him. When Dino — one of his men — opened the door for him, Arthur chose to carry the gifts himself.
After all, these gifts were personally selected. The moment his father asked him to visit the orphanage, Arthur had instructed his secretary to buy a wide range of toys and supplies for the children.
As the kids caught sight of him, their eyes lit up like fairy lights. It truly was a special day for them. First, their favorite sister brought them delicious cupcakes, and now this handsome man had arrived bearing gifts.
God must be happy with our prayers today! the kids thought.
When they saw him approaching, they straightened up in a line, standing tall with beaming smiles, determined to show their best behavior.
Arthur and his men noticed this, and they couldn’t help but admire their discipline. As he reached them, the children sang out in unison, “Good morning, sir!”
Arthur smiled. It reminded him of his own kindergarten days.
He returned their greeting warmly and entered the orphanage, exchanging polite words with the staff. He noticed how clean and well-maintained the place was.
The donations we make every year are going into good hands, he thought.
They walked down a small corridor and into a spacious hall where the children were lined up once again.
Sister Johnsy, the head of the orphanage, stepped forward and presented a beautiful bouquet to Arthur.
“Mr. Delacruz, thank you so much for giving your valuable time to these children. Please accept this small gift as a token of our gratitude,” she said with a warm smile.
“Ma’am, you don’t have to be so formal. It’s truly my pleasure to be here with these lovely kids,” Arthur replied in his deep voice. He passed the gifts he was holding to one of his men and accepted the bouquet. “And thank you for this,” he added sincerely.
“Hey, guys, I’m Arthur. Will you be my friends?” he asked gently as he stood in front of them.
The children nodded eagerly, grinning ear to ear.
Arthur personally handed the gifts to each child, and it was clear from their faces how much joy he had brought.
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Rainah’s POV
Meanwhile, I stepped out of the kitchen, quietly heading toward the hall where all the excitement was happening. Honestly, I was a little bored in the kitchen, and curiosity was starting to get the best of me. I just wanted a peek — from a distance.
I spotted the man surrounded by children. His back was facing me. He seemed to be laughing with them.
At least he’s not the kind of rich man who shoos kids away, I thought.
I tried to move slightly to get a view of his face, but just as I did, he turned again, keeping his back toward me. I stared at him for a moment. My eyes followed the line of his charcoal-black hair, down his broad shoulders hidden beneath a crisp white shirt, to his long, lean legs in tailored black trousers.
That’s... a really nice butt, my inner voice whispered, making me blush furiously.
Suddenly, I felt a gentle tug on my dress. I looked down and saw four little girls gazing up at me.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” I asked softly, crouching to their level.
“Sister, will you play with us? Look what Arthur gave us!” one of them said, pointing excitedly at a dollhouse held by two of the girls.
“There are dolls inside!” another chimed in, her voice dreamy.
Their eyes sparkled with excitement. I couldn’t bring myself to say no. Smiling, I followed them to the nearby playroom. They placed the dollhouse on the floor and sat cross-legged in a circle. I helped them set everything up, and soon we were all immersed in their little doll world.
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Time passed...
Nearly two hours later, Arthur and the children were still laughing and playing. The kids were overjoyed with the gifts — footballs for the sporty ones, dolls and dollhouses, board games, chocolates, colorful stationery — and Arthur had even played football with them for a while.
“Arthur, did you try the cupcakes?” asked Rito, who was hanging from Arthur’s shoulder like a monkey.
“Yum yum! Cupcakes tasty!” Mimi, a tiny three-year-old on Arthur’s lap, said while licking her lips. Arthur chuckled.
More children chimed in, praising the cupcakes. Arthur grinned dramatically.
“Nooo! I didn’t get any!” he pouted, pretending to cry.
The kids burst into giggles and begged one of the sisters to bring cupcakes for Arthur.
He took a bite from one and paused.
This taste... feels familiar.
He couldn’t quite place it — just a vague memory. He shook off the thought and continued laughing with the children.
---
Rainah, still in the playroom, glanced at the time. It was almost lunchtime. She hadn’t planned to stay that long, so she decided to leave.
After bidding goodbye to the girls, she stepped into the main hall again and noticed the cheerful chaos. The kids were thrilled, their giggles echoing through the room.
She saw a group of them surrounding a tall man — clearly one of the guests. The man was trying to stand still as the children examined him with intense curiosity. She walked a little closer, just enough to hear what the kids were whispering.
“Is he an alien?”
“Maybe… or maybe not.”
“Do aliens speak English?”
“I heard him talk to Arthur once!”
“Me too!”
“He’s a humanoid!”
“What’s a hoomanoide?”
“Humanoid. They look like humans but eat electricity!”
“What does electricity taste like?”
“Probably hot milk!”
“Ewwww!”
Rainah laughed under her breath. So adorable.
Her eyes wandered again toward the far end of the hall, where she saw little Mimi squealing in delight as she was gently bounced in the air. The man — still facing away — held her with ease. Her joy was infectious.
Mimi… smiling?
A month ago, Mimi had been left at the orphanage doorstep on a rainy night. No one knew her background. She barely spoke and hardly ate — the only person she trusted a little was me. I’d never once seen her laugh.
But now…
Seeing her so carefree made me smile. I glanced at the man holding her once more.
Still… only his back. I give up.
Yet… something tugged at me. A strange pull I couldn’t explain. I shook my head to clear it and looked at my watch. It was time to go.
I turned for the door but couldn’t resist one final glance.
I smiled again — until suddenly, the smile faded.
My chest tightened. My breath caught.
‘No.’
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- Writer
