Chapter 18_ Split Personality

After Arya found herself alone in her room, she retrieved the clothes she would wear for work the following day. With preparations still to be made for the next round of negotiations with Mr. Jackson, she was determined to finalize the deal. Satisfied that everything was in order, Arya settled onto her bed and prepared to get some rest. Suddenly, she heard a loud noise and her eyes widened as she saw the window shatter, scattering countless shards of glass onto the floor. A rock with a piece of paper attached rolled through the opening and onto the floor.

"Aaaaaah." Arya's scream caught the attention of Kane, who had been working on his computer in the living room.

"Arya, what happened?" Kane rushed in, his face twisted with concern as he scanned her for any signs of injury.

"I'm fine." Arya responded shakily, clinging to Kane's chest. Kane's gaze fell to the mess on the floor, but he couldn't find any visible wounds on Arya. He picked up the paper from the ground and saw the word "LIAR" written in bold capital letters.

He showed it to Arya with a frown and asked, "Who do you think did this?"

"Piston...I think." Arya sighed, stepping off the bed and avoiding the broken glass as she joined Kane.

Anger bubbled in Kane at her words. Had this been happening for a while? His girl was being targeted right in front of him, and he couldn't control his rage. Through gritted teeth, he growled, "I'll find that bastard and castrate him! He can't--"

"Don't even joke about it! Stay away from Piston." Arya interrupted, worry evident in her voice.

Kane crumpled up the paper and threw it to the floor. "How am I supposed to stay away from him if he won't stay away from you?"

"Kane, Piston is a dangerous man, please. We were raised together, he holds me in high regard, and he's fixated on me….I have a considerable amount of flexibility in dealing with him, which you don't possess." Arya remarked.

"He's just an overly-obsessive individual." Kane retorted, causing Arya to shake her head in disapproval.

"No, He's a legitimate criminal, Kane, with some very dangerous allies. They commit robberies, traffic drugs, and engage in other illicit activities. Everyone around here knows about them, but they never leave any evidence for the police to catch them. He may act like a fool, but he's far from it. This is his territory, and he's well-informed about everything that goes on around here. I haven't issued a warrant for his arrest yet because of this, and I have a younger brother to protect." Arya explained, hoping Kane will heed her warning and keep his distance from Piston. However, instead of backing off, Kane's eyes gleamed with excitement at her words.

"That makes him an intriguing opponent for me. I appreciate your concern, Arya, but unfortunately, Maranello's men are very protective of their women." Kane said, a smirk forming on his lips.

"Since when did I become your woman?" Arya asked, tilting her head to the side.

"You are my tigress, that should count for something." Kane replied with a self-assured grin. The chilling night air blew through the broken glass, causing goosebumps to form on Arya's skin. She shivered and braced herself for the cold.

"Feeling cold?" Kane asked, pulling her closer to him. Arya nodded, grateful for the warmth he provided.

He lifted her off the floor and gently stroked her hair and caressed her cheeks as he walked towards the bed, making sure to avoid the broken glass. He laid her down on the side of the bed without any shattered remnants and covered her with a thick duvet.

"Don't worry, Tigress. When I'm here, there's nothing that can harm you." Kane whispered, leaning in to place a loving kiss on her forehead.

"Sleep, Arya. I'm right here." He hummed, his fingers running through her hair. With Kane by her side, Arya felt safe and secure for the first time in her life. She smiled and closed her eyes, relishing the warmth and comfort he provided. In a matter of minutes, she drifted off to sleep.

Kane surveyed the peaceful visage of Arya as she slept. A foolish grin escaped him, a product of her bewitching existence. "Arya, I cannot fathom what you have done to me," he murmured, before resolutely rising to his feet and tidying the room, ensuring that no shards of glass littered the floor.

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As dawn's early light peeked through the window, breaking the stillness of the morning, Arya was awakened by an incessant clinking that reverberated in her head. Irritated, she stumbled out of bed and stormed towards the source of the noise. "Whoever is causing this disturbance shall rue it," she seethed, surmising that it originated from the kitchen.

Clink. Clink. Clink.

To her surprise, she found Kane, half-dressed, rhythmically tapping a spoon against a glass. As she entered the kitchen, he greeted her with a mischievous grin, "Good morning."

"What the hell!" Arya cursed, glaring at him.

"Ah, you're up. I was in dire need of a cup of coffee," Kane remarked, to which Arya begrudgingly nodded.

"Great, because I could easily kill you right now. Help yourself to the instant coffee in the cupboard, and leave me alone," Arya retorted, turning to leave. But Kane halted her.

"Just a moment... Instant coffee? I do not consume that rubbish," Kane stated, causing Arya to curse her luck as any remnants of sleep disappeared from her eyes and at that moment, Alex entered the kitchen, dragging his feet and appearing groggy from slumber, barely managing to keep his eyes open.

"What is happening here? What was that noise? Is the house on fire?" Alex inquired, now fully awake and looking between Arya and Kane.

"No need to worry, Alex. I am simply conversing with the individual responsible for my existence at the moment," Kane replied with a sly tone.

"Good for you, but can you please lower your voice? I am attempting to sleep," Alex remarked, to which Kane gave him a meaningful look.

"What is the issue? You were going to wake up regardless for school," he said, turning back to Arya with a carefree grin. "And you must also get up for work. What is the difference if we do it now or in thirty minutes?"

"The difference is that you are acting like a selfish jerk this way," Arya shot back, unable to believe that the Kane she knew last night was the same one she was currently arguing with. Does he have a split personality?