Chapter 45_ New Plaything

Standing outside of Arya's apartment, Kane and Alonso gazed at each other in silence until Kane scoffed, breaking the tension. "Seriously, Lon? A girlfriend?"

Alonso shrugged and sighed. "I know this comes as a shock, but I'm sorry, buddy. I feel a connection with Chloe and I want to explore it. Proposing to her as my girlfriend seemed like the best option. And don't worry, it won't interfere with your plans or change anything. You know I won't betray your trust, right?"

Kane scowled but nodded understandingly. "Yes, Alonso, I know that. If there's anyone I trust with my life, it's you. But are you sure about being her boyfriend? I don't want you to hurt her later on. She's Arya's best friend and I don't want her to be upset with me because of you."

Alonso almost rolled his eyes at Kane's words and reminded him, "Actually, I should be saying that to you. I'm not the one planning to break -" Before Alonso could finish, Kane gave him a glare and he quickly shut his mouth, sheepishly smiling at his friend.

Meanwhile, in Arya's room, she and Chloe sat opposite each other as they chatted. "Wow, Chloe. You're moving fast!" Arya playfully slapped Chloe's arm.

Chloe winked and replied, "You know, Arya, I was surprised too. I just wanted to have a casual fling with him, but Alonso turned out to be more than I expected. He treated me so well that when he asked me to be his girlfriend, I couldn't say no. It's time for me to take my love life seriously. No more just hooking up, I want a real relationship with a real man. And I think Alonso could be that man for me.”

Arya cooed, raising her hands to brush away imaginary tears from her eyes before flinging herself over Chloe's body. "I'm thrilled for you, girl. It's hard to believe you snagged a boyfriend before me. What happened to our agreement of waiting for each other to have a significant other?" Arya quizzed, arching her eyebrows at Chloe.

Smiling coyly, Chloe leaned in and playfully batted her lashes at Arya. "But you beat me to it, Arya. Kane can't keep his hands off you, and I have a feeling he's the one for you. And his best friend, Alonso? Well, he just might be the one for me. How cool is it that we're dating two friends?" she exclaimed.

Arya shrugged nonchalantly. "I suppose it is. Although, let's not forget that Kane and I are not official yet. What we have is, um, a mutually beneficial sexual relationship," she confessed, her tone strained towards the end.

"Come here, you," Chloe said, pulling Arya closer and tenderly caressing her head as the room settled into a comforting quiet between the two friends.


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Maranello Enterprises;

The following day at the office, Arya had ventured out to inspect the tuning shop with a lead manager, leaving Kane to his own devices in the office. As he focused on the tasks before him, the door suddenly swung open, but Kane didn't look up from his computer as he nonchalantly said, “Let me guess, you forgot something again. What was it this time?” Not expecting a response, Kane continued to work with his fingers flying across the keyboard. Arya had already left earlier, but she had returned in a hurry to retrieve a file she had left behind. Naturally, Kane assumed she had forgotten something else.

After a moment of silence, Kane's brows knitted together as he gazed up at the person in front of him, his eyes widening in surprise. He rubbed his temples, letting out a chuckle before speaking. "What brings you here, Gemma?"

Gemma pouted at his question and leaned in closer, her voice dripping with seduction. "Do you miss me, Kane? I haven't heard from you since you started working in the office, especially since you've been spending so much time with that Arya girl. And I see the way you look at her... is she your new plaything now?"

Kane's expression turned to a frown as he held Gemma's chin, his grip firm. "Watch your words, Gemma. Arya is not like you. And don't even try to compare her to the other women I've been with. Understand?"

Gemma's demeanor changed as she apologized, her hands moving down to Kane's pants. He gasped at her touch, but his frown remained. "I'm sorry, I just miss our time together. I've been wanting you for so long. And with your father and Arya both out of the office, isn't this the perfect time for us to have some fun?" Her hand grasped his cock through his pants, but Kane's expression remained unsure.

Kane declared, his brows raised in disapproval. "I am not in the mood for this. And isn't it audacious of you to try and seduce me here in the office, where my father could walk in at any moment and find his little secretary here?" He hesitated, considering whether or not he should give in to her advances. It wouldn't be the first time he used the office for his amorous pursuits, and Gemma was certainly one of his frequent companions, with her expert skills in pleasing him. Normally, he would have no qualms about responding to her advances, so why was he hesitating now? Was it because of Arya? No, that couldn't be it. Kane pushed aside his inner thoughts, trying to focus on the present moment.

Gemma sensed his distraction and took advantage, leaning in closer and kissing him on the lips. She guided his hands to her bottom, pressing her ample chest against his firm chest. The two of them looked like a couple in the middle of an intimate moment. Just as things were heating up, the office door swung open and Arya walked in with a smile on her face.

But the smile faded when she saw what was happening. She froze in place, her anger bubbling up as she muttered under her breath, "What the hell..." Her hand clenched around the door handle, her knuckles turning white as she braced herself against it. Betrayal. That's what this was. ‘Son of a…’ she thought through gritted teeth as she stepped further into the office, making her presence known.