The security guard had a box of coins for the carts; you just had to scan a QR code to pay.
Cecelia was about to scan the code, but Damien Vaughn beat her to it.
In his worldview, a man should never let a woman spend money—not even a single dollar.
After getting the coin, Cecelia showed him how to unlock the cart. Damien Vaughn then placed Candy inside and pushed it into the supermarket.
Seeing the dazzling array of products and the people coming and going, Candy was absolutely thrilled.
"This supermarket is so big and pretty! Riding in the cart is so much fun! Daddy, you’re so nice to me!"
All the other kids passing by were sitting in shopping carts, and some young couples even had the girlfriend riding in one.
Damien Vaughn glanced around, then suddenly turned back to Cecelia.
"Do you want to get in too?"
Cecelia was taken aback by his sudden question.
’In her entire life, she’d never sat in a shopping cart, nor had she ever imagined herself doing so.’
’She never thought a man as cold and domineering as Damien Vaughn would actually be willing to push her around in a cart.’
"Oh, no, no. That’s okay."
’She was only twenty-three. If Candy wasn’t with her, no one would ever guess she was a mom. What was there to be embarrassed about?’
Seeing other couples being affectionate and the radiant smile of a girl riding in a cart, Damien Vaughn stopped in his tracks, his mind made up.
He lifted Candy out of the cart with one hand, scooped Cecelia up with the other, and put her into the cart without another word. Then he placed Candy back in her lap.
"I was worried about Candy sitting in here alone. Hold on to her tight so she doesn’t fall out."
Cecelia was speechless.
The three of them were far too conspicuous. He had barely pushed the cart a few feet before passersby started giving them curious looks.
Cecelia felt incredibly awkward. "We’re too heavy. It’s hard for you to push, and there’s nowhere to put the groceries. Please, just let me get out."
Just as she finished speaking, a young couple who had finished their shopping were heading to the checkout, and the young man lifted his girlfriend out of their cart.
"If you’d like, you can use our cart. That way you’ll have a place for your stuff."
’How could Damien Vaughn possibly manage, pushing one cart with them in it and another empty one?’
Cecelia was about to refuse, but Damien Vaughn had already taken the other cart.
"Thanks. Let me pay you for it."
"Don’t worry about it, it’s just a dollar," the young man said with a smile, waving his hand.
"You have a beautiful family. Your daughter is absolutely adorable. My girlfriend and I are getting married soon, and I hope we can have a kid as cute as her someday. Wishing you all the best."
Cecelia was speechless.
Damien Vaughn pushed the cart with the two of them in it with one hand and the empty one with the other, asking Cecelia what they needed to buy as he went.
Cecelia first picked out toiletries like towels, toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, and body wash, then moved on to the produce section.
The grocery cart was only half full when she announced she was done. "Let’s go check out."
Damien Vaughn looked at the meager contents. "Don’t we need to buy some food?"
Cecelia gestured to the colorful vegetables. "Isn’t this food?"
"I mean snacks. Shouldn’t we get some for Candy?"
"Candy doesn’t eat snacks."
’Nonsense,’ he thought. ’What kid doesn’t like snacks?’
Damien Vaughn pushed them toward the snack aisle.
"Candy, what do you like? Pick out anything you want."
Candy, used to being sensible, didn’t dare ask for too much. She kept her own desires in check, shaking her head and insisting she didn’t want anything.
It made Damien Vaughn’s heart ache to see it.
"You probably have no idea how rich your daddy is. With my money, buying ten of these supermarkets wouldn’t be a problem. Pick anything. Go on."
Candy’s big, glistening eyes widened like saucers.
"Buying ten supermarkets wouldn’t be a problem? You’re that rich?"

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