Chapter 104_ Good Reputation

“Go away, I don't want to listen to you," Arya croaked out as she buried her face in Chloe's bosom, trying hard to stop the tears from falling.

“Just hear me out, Tigress. I deserve that much at least, please." Kane pleaded, now standing close to Arya's bed.

Arya clenched her fist, then pulled away from Chloe and locked her gaze with Kane. Her amber eyes glistened with tears, but she refused to let them fall. She wouldn't give Kane the pleasure of seeing her cry for him. “What do you want, Mr. Maranello? Haven't you had what you wanted from me already?"

“Arya," Kane called out while Chloe moved away from the bed, giving them some space. She walked to where Nicholas sat and dragged him from the couch, gesturing with her eyes that they should leave the couple alone and give them some privacy. Though Nicholas wasn't done with his conversation with Arya, he stood up, allowing Chloe to pull him away from the ward.

Kane moved closer to Arya's bed and knelt on the floor. He reached out to hold her hand, and when Arya didn't pull away from him, he sighed, feeling grateful for that. Then he kissed the palm of her hand and said, “I’m so sorry, Arya. I didn't mean to hurt you this way."

“But you did," Arya whispered, and the tears she had been holding in rolled down her cheeks as she gazed at the man.

Kane wiped her tears away with his thumb and moved his head closer to hers, rubbing their foreheads together. He said, “I was wrong, Arya. I shouldn't have done that. Initially, I approached you because I wanted to have you to myself and sabotage whatever projects my father was giving you. I was bitter, Arya. I wanted to destroy the company and make my father pay for my mother's death. But as I spent time with you, I found myself distracted by the goal I had in mind because, Arya, I started getting attracted to you for real. I started developing feelings I shouldn't have; I couldn't control how I was beginning to feel for you. Please forgive me, my love. I love you so much that I don't think I would be able to live without you if you leave me, Arya."

Arya's heart raced at Kane's words. She wanted to forgive him and throw herself into his arms, but she was afraid. She couldn't think of only herself now; she had a life inside her that she needed to consider along with everything that had happened. What if Kane was still lying to her? How could she trust him again when he had lied to her? Was he telling the truth? Arya couldn't tell, and she gulped hard as she battled with so many what-ifs in her mind, along with the feelings she had for the man.

Seeing the hesitation in her eyes, Kane stood up and sat on her bed, wrapping his hands around her and embracing her. “I'm telling the truth, Arya. Please give me one last chance to prove my love to you; let me show you how I truly feel about you. You are my life, Arya. I wouldn't do anything to hurt you on purpose."

“You don't deserve her, Maranello." A voice resounded in the room, and Arya pulled away from Kane to look behind him while Kane turned his back to face the person.

“What are you doing here?" Kane asked, his voice cold as he glared at Nicholas.

Nicholas smirked and strolled into the room like he owned it, sitting back on the couch as he crossed his legs. “I was the one who saved her, Maranello," he said, while Chloe entered the room too and scowled at Nicholas, who had refused to move away from the door and insisted on listening to the couple’s conversation. She couldn't understand what the man wanted and why he was hovering around like a pest.

“So?" Kane remarked, cocking his brows at him.

“I want her to repay me for saving her life and that of her baby," Nicholas declared, and Arya's gaze swept across Nicholas, glaring at him with her amber eyes. She didn't want Kane to find out that she was pregnant with his child, and the man had gone ahead to announce it without consideration.

“B-Ba-by?" Kane stammered, his eyes widening in surprise as he turned to Arya, wanting to confirm what he had just heard. Arya pursed her lips when she noticed Kane’s gaze on her, and without saying anything to him, she lowered her head. Kane couldn't describe how he felt at that moment; he wanted to hug Arya and pepper her with kisses, but he had to suppress the overwhelming feeling of happiness inside him, seeing that they had an audience.

Kane turned back to Nicholas and spat out, “What do you want?"

Nicholas smirked and answered, “Her."

“What do you mean?" Kane said.

“I want her, Maranello. I want her to be my wife, and you don't have to worry about your child. I’ll take care of it as if it were my own," Nicholas said, and Kane saw red. He stood up from the bed and walked to Nicholas, grabbed his collar, and swung a punch at his face. He was about to throw another punch when Nicholas dodged and hit Kane back instead.

"What is wrong with both of you? Stop it, you two!" Chloe yelled, coming between them, and she glared at them both, feeling exasperated by their behavior. “This is a hospital; if you're so eager to tear each other's throats out, do it outside," Chloe reprimanded, and then turned to Nicholas. "And you! I don't know what games you're playing, but leave Arya out of this, please.”

Nicholas wiped the blood from his lips, and instead of answering Chloe, he turned to Arya. “I don't mean any harm; I just need you to get married to me. Do you still want to be with him? He deceived you, remember? He is nothing but a flirt who frolics with women. Are you sure you want to be with someone like that?” Nicholas asked, and Arya dug her nails into her skin. She was tempted to slap Nicholas across the face if she weren't confined to the bed by the drip.

“You must be one to judge someone else. Aren't you the CEO of Nicholas Group of Companies? You don't have a good reputation yourself; you steal from your rival company and do underhanded things to attain what you want. You are no better than him, Mr. You're a liar, an arsonist, and a thief!” Arya quipped, shooting daggers at Nicholas.