Riccardo and Alessandro’s expressions shifted into shock. Moments ago, Celestia had been happily chasing the toy truck, and now, she was crying in pain.
Alessandro rushed to her with Riccardo following closely behind. Scooping her up in his arms, Alessandro gently bounced her, his voice soft and soothing.
“My baby… don’t cry. It’s okay,” he cooed, trying to calm her down.
Meanwhile, Riccardo turned his attention to the boy who had fallen nearby. Offering him a steady hand, he asked, “Did you get hurt?”
The boy shook his head, brushing himself off. “Just a little on my back,” he replied.
Riccardo gave a polite nod. “My apologies. My daughter caused you trouble.”
“It was an accident, Uncle,” the boy said kindly, his tone mature for his age. “I’m fine.”
Celestia’s cries had quieted to soft hiccups. Alessandro looked down at her tear-streaked face.
“Where did you get hurt, sweetheart?” he asked gently.
Celestia pointed to the side of her forehead, and Alessandro kissed the spot softly before blowing on it. “There. All better?”
"Pretty girl I'm sorry you got hurt."
Celestia slowly turned her head to the side, studying him curiously. He was about her size, with messy golden-brown hair and a cheeky grin.
Alessandro, watching the interaction, stiffened. A strange surge of protectiveness gripped him.
Who is this kid, and why is he talking to her so much? Alessandro thought, his jaw tightening as jealousy unexpectedly prickled at him.
Riccardo noticed Alessandro’s posture shift and suppressed a knowing smirk.
Celestia finally spoke, her voice soft but inquisitive. “Who you?”
The boy straightened up, brushing his unruly hair with his hand in an attempt to appear more presentable. “I’m Luca,” he said confidently. “And you are?”
Celestia hesitated, her small fingers clutching Alessandro’s shirt for reassurance. Then she replied shyly, “Celeswia.”
“Well, Celestia,” Luca said with a playful grin, “you run super fast after that truck. Are you a racer?”
Celestia giggled softly, glancing up at Alessandro for approval. Despite himself, Alessandro smiled at her reaction and kissed her head.
“She’s fine now,” Alessandro said firmly, deliberately ignoring Luca’s presence.
“Hey, Celestia,” Luca said, undeterred. “There’s a play zone over there with a huge slide and ball pit. Want to come play?”
Celestia’s eyes sparkled at the suggestion, but before she could answer, Riccardo intervened with a polite smile. “That’s kind of you, Luca, but Celestia just got a little scared. Maybe next time.”
Luca nodded, though his disappointment showed. “Okay, Uncle. Bye, Celestia! See you later!”
“Bye-bye,” Celestia whispered, waving back timidly.
As Luca walked away, Alessandro let out a small sigh of relief.
“He’s a bit too friendly,” Alessandro muttered, glancing at Riccardo.
Riccardo chuckled. “Alessandro, he’s just a kid. You’re acting like she’s already going on a date.”
“I’m not,” Alessandro replied defensively, though his ears turned red.
Riccardo gave him a teasing pat on the back. “Come on. Let’s make the rest of the day fun for her.”
They left Toytopia after paying for the truck, Alessandro still carrying Celestia. She played with the buttons on his shirt, occasionally looking up at him with a contented smile.
“Dada,” she said suddenly.
“Yes, baby?”
“Luca funny,” she declared with a serious nod.
Alessandro raised an eyebrow. “Is he funnier than me?”
Celestia tilted her head, pretending to think hard before giggling. “No.”
“Good answer,” Alessandro said, spinning her gently, making her laugh again.
As they walked past a wooden handicrafts shop, Celestia’s eyes lit up at the sight of a beautifully painted horse. She pointed excitedly. “Dada! I want horse!”
Riccardo smiled indulgently. “Let’s have a look.”
Inside, Celestia was soon perched on the white wooden horse, Alessandro steadying her as he gently rocked it. Her delighted laughter filled the shop.
Riccardo stepped outside to take a call from Arthur. “We’re at the wooden workshop near Toytopia,” he said.
Minutes later, Arthur arrived with the rest of the brothers in tow. Spotting Alessandro and Celestia inside, they walked in.
Clemente’s face lit up as he saw Celestia. “Oh, Celi! You found a horse!” he exclaimed, rocking it gently for her.
Celestia smiled but asked hesitantly, “So many money?”
Before anyone else could answer, Domenico spoke firmly. “You don’t need to think about money. I’ll buy it for you.”
Celestia seemed to think hard about his words before replying, “I earn and give you.”
Domenico let out a long sigh, crouching down to meet her eyes. “You will do no such thing. Do you understand?”
She nodded slowly, and Domenico went to the counter to pay for the horse.
Meanwhile, Marcello ruffled her hair affectionately. She squealed, “My hair, Marcy!”
Marcello laughed and hugged her tightly. “You gave me a nickname, sweetheart. I’m so happy!”
Domenico returned and announced, “It’s done. Let’s head to the food court.”
“I’m starving after all this shopping,” Damien groaned, earning a round of laughter from the family as they left the shop together.
They all moved towards the elevators as the food court is on the floor above this.
"Wow...running stairs." squealed Celestia in awe. Everyone smiled at her as they can understand that she has never experienced all these things, so they are going to do their best in introducing her to all things of her age of children have.
They walked to a table that was empty but it had only four chairs so Damian and Marcello pulled the needful chairs from other table. Everyone took their seats and discussed what they want to eat but Celestia is confused on what to eat.
She tugged her dada's shirt to draw his attention.
As Alessandro felt the gentle tug on his shirt, he turned to see Celestia looking up at him with her big, curious eyes.
“What’s wrong, baby?” he asked softly, leaning closer to her.
She pouted slightly, her tiny finger pointing at the menu in Alessandro’s hand. “Don’t know what this,” she said, her voice laced with confusion.
Alessandro chuckled, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face. “That’s okay. How about I order something for you? Do you want pizza? Or maybe pasta?”
“Pizza!” Celestia exclaimed, her pout replaced with an excited smile.
Damian leaned over, grinning. “Good choice, little one. You’ll love it.”
Riccardo gestured toward the waiter. “A margarita pizza for Celestia, and we’ll take a large veggie platter with some fries for everyone.”
“Don’t forget the drinks,” Marcello added. “I’m getting thirsty just sitting here.”
“I’ll handle that,” Domenico said, standing up. “What do you all want?”
Everyone gave their orders quickly, but Alessandro stayed focused on Celestia, helping her settle into her chair.
As the waiter left, the atmosphere grew light. Clemente leaned closer to Celestia, pointing at the kids’ area visible from their table. “Do you see that slide over there? After we eat, you can play there.”
Celestia’s eyes widened in delight. “Really? Me slide?”
“Yes, sweetheart. You slide,” Clemente assured her with a smile.
While the family was engrossed in their conversation, a figure stood in the shadows of a pillar a few feet away. A tall man dressed in a dark trench coat and a wide-brimmed hat watched them intently. His eyes were hidden beneath tinted glasses, but his focus was unmistakable—he was observing Celestia.
The man’s stance was casual enough not to draw immediate suspicion, but his gaze lingered on Celestia longer than anyone would consider normal.
He reached into his pocket, pulling out a phone, and snapped a quick picture of the little girl. Then, without any visible urgency, he walked toward the far side of the food court, blending into the crowd.
As everyone settled into their seats and continued chatting and eating, Celestia, while nibbling on a french fry Alessandro had given her, glanced around curiously. Her eyes wandered across the bustling food court, taking in the colorful displays and the crowd of strangers.
Then she froze.
A man standing near a distant pillar caught her attention. He wore a long dark trench coat, a wide-brimmed hat, and sunglasses that seemed out of place indoors. He wasn’t doing anything—just standing there, but his head was slightly turned toward her table. Celestia tilted her head, trying to understand why he seemed different from everyone else.
She tugged on Alessandro’s sleeve again, this time more insistently.
“Dada,” she whispered, her voice almost hesitant.
Alessandro leaned closer, smiling at her. “What is it, sweetheart?”
“Man,” she said softly, pointing toward the pillar. “He looking.”
Alessandro frowned and followed her gaze, but by the time he looked, the man had already started moving, blending into the crowd. Alessandro’s eyes narrowed, his jaw tightening as his protective instincts flared.
“Where, baby?” he asked, his tone low but calm.
Celestia pointed again, her small hand trembling slightly. “There... but gone now.”
Riccardo caught on to the exchange and leaned in. “What’s going on?”
“Celestia saw someone,” Alessandro said, his voice tense. “A man watching us, but he’s disappeared now.”
Riccardo’s face darkened as he scanned the area himself. “Let’s not take this lightly,” he said, his tone firm. “We’ll finish eating and stay together.”
Damian, who had overheard, smirked in an attempt to lighten the mood. “Sandro, you’re overreacting. It’s probably just some guy in a coat.”
“Maybe,” Alessandro said, his tone sharp. “But I trust her instincts.”
Celestia, sensing the tension, reached out and held onto Alessandro’s hand tightly. “He scary,” she murmured, her voice small but certain.
Alessandro’s heart clenched. He lifted her into his lap, wrapping his arms around her protectively. “Don’t worry, baby. I won’t let anything happen to you. Promise.”
Marcello and Clemente exchanged a look but stayed silent, their usually lighthearted expressions now tinged with concern.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the food court, the man in the trench coat stopped at another pillar, just far enough to remain unnoticed. He adjusted his sunglasses and smirked.
“She saw me,” he murmured to himself. “Interesting.”
He slipped a phone into his pocket and walked away, disappearing into the crowd.
--------------------------------------
●How did you feel about Alessandro’s protectiveness toward Celestia?
●What do you think the man in the trench coat wants?
●Do you think Celestia’s instincts are sharper than the adults around her?
●Did you all like this family shopping trip?
●Wasn't the boy Luca, a charmer?
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