My Mirror Image by Maybe Not (Candice And Alex’s)

Chapter 0535

It was a bunch of irises, a beautiful shade of purplish blue, wrapped in craft paper. They perfectly complemented the light purple shirt Candice was wearing.

Candice kept her gaze downward, remaining silent.

"I remembered you liked these," Alex said.

It was true that Candice enjoyed flowers, but it wasn't just irises; she had a fondness for various types of flowers since childhood. She had been influenced by Yvonne and Joe, who had a passion for gardening, and often sat on a small stool to watch them.

However, due to her pollen allergies, she rarely had close contact with flowers.

Furthermore, since the flowers were from Alex, she decided to decline.

When Candice arrived home, it was dusk. Candice had to enroll Ellis in a nearby daycare after Mrs. Robinson's dismissal.

Technically, Ellis was too young for daycare, but Candice was familiar with the person in charge and trusted her to look after Ellis.

As she went to pick up Ellis, Alex followed behind.

The daycare manager, a foreigner, joked, "Is this your husband, sweetheart? He's quite handsome."

Candice clarified, "He's not."

"He must be your boyfriend, then. You two seem like a perfect match."

Candice was left speechless. She picked up Ellis and inadvertently met Alex's gaze. He looked at her with deep, calm eyes, filled with endless affection and tenderness.

Her heart tightened. She avoided his gaze and hurriedly left.

Recently, reports of a stalker in the city made Candice uneasy about leaving Ellis alone at the daycare. As a result, she decided to bring her work home instead.

However, balancing caring for Ellis and working from home was challenging.

Despite Candice's refusals, Alex continued to visit every day. Usually, he would bring flowers or meals, which Candice always turned down.

Once, Alex brought a balloon shaped like a puppy.

When Ellis spotted it, she wobbled over and tried to reach for it, grabbing the string with excitement.

From then on, Alex had his strategy figured out. He probably realized that Ellis was his best way in. So, whenever he visited, he always brought something to grab her attention.

Ellis was becoming more clever these days. Whenever she heard the doorbell, she'd crawl or walk toward the door, as if worried she'd miss out on something fun.

Sure enough, when Candice opened the door, there was Alex once again. He had a food

container in one hand and a colorful pinwheel in the other.

Alex lived nearby, and almost every day he brought Candice food he had prepared himself. Content property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.

Growing up privileged, Alex had hardly ever cooked before, and he was quite particular about his food. So, the dishes he made for Candice were the result of many attempts.

But Candice never touched any of it. The food always came back to Alex exactly as he had brought it.

During a video call, Sieg saw Alex chopping vegetables behind a bar and couldn't believe his eyes. The esteemed heir of the Elysians was actually cooking by himself.

And when Sieg learned it was all for Candice, his expression was beyond description. He thought Alex must be under some sort of spell.

At that moment, Alex held the food container and looked at Ellis, who was eagerly watching him from the doorway with puppy eyes.

In a calm, gentle voice, he said, "I heard from Edward about a few recipes suitable for kids' diets, so I made some for Little Mulberry. He said they're good for children's health."

Before Candice could reply, Ellis stumbled toward Alex.

The little girl pointed eagerly at the pinwheel in his hand and exclaimed, "Want! Want!"

Alex's face lit up with a warm smile, and his eyes shone with affection. He took a couple of steps closer, crouched down, and handed the pinwheel to Ellis, who immediately turned around and proudly showed it to Candice.

"I saw someone selling these and thought she might like it since she's never had a toy like this before," Alex explained.

Leaning against the door, Candice asked, "Are you suggesting I can't afford a pinwheel?"

Alex's expression stiffened, and he apologized with a strained voice, "No, that's not what I meant. I just didn't express myself well."

Candice gave him a scrutinizing look before watching Ellis play with the pinwheel. She fell silent for a moment.

In truth, Candice hadn't bought many toys for Ellis because she was always busy with work. Though she made time for Ellis, she found it hard to take her out shopping regularly.

Initially, when they lived in South City, Candice did some online shopping. But with their frequent moves, she relied on Mrs. Robinson's help, which allowed her to focus entirely on her work.

She spent very little time playing with Ellis. Given her personality and Ellis's young age, Candice didn't know what else to do besides taking photos of her growing up.

Even Yana and Hanley spent more time playing with Ellis than Candice did.

Candice primarily taught her basic knowledge and common sense.

Turning away, she entered the house, her voice devoid of emotion. "Make sure to close the door when you come in."

Alex was surprised by the sudden turn of events. But then something glistened in his eyes.

With one swift motion, he scooped up Ellis and marched into the house.

Ellis giggled gleefully, enjoying the unexpected ride in Alex's arms.

Candice couldn't help but notice the laughter. She stole a quick glance back before turning away.

Alex's cooking skills exceeded Candice's expectations, or so it seemed. After preparing

Ellis's meal, he presented Candice with a bowl of soup and asked, "Would you like to try it?"

The aroma of the soup was inviting.

Candice's cooking abilities were average, and she often lacked the motivation to cook for herself. She didn't pay much attention to it as long as the food didn't taste awful.

Sensing her hesitation, Alex looked a bit disappointed but reassured her, "It's okay. If you don't like it, I can make something else tomorrow."

Candice blinked, then took a sip of the soup with her spoon. It was surprisingly delicious.

Alex watched her closely.

Under his intense gaze, Candice furrowed her brows unconsciously. She placed the spoon down, about to speak, when suddenly, a strange scream echoed from outside, followed by the sound of something smashing against a window.

Alex's expression turned serious. He stood up and instructed, "Stay inside. I'll go check."

Candice observed him as he walked away. Meanwhile, Ellis continued eating, unfazed by the commotion.

When Alex returned, his expression was grave.

Candice felt a sense of dread and asked, "What happened?"

Alex hesitated, his face tense. He explained, "Someone threw a paint-filled balloon at the window."

Candice's face drained of color as she thought of the recent news.

Alex reached out, gently patting her head in a comforting gesture.

"Don't worry," he said softly, "I'm here for you."