Chapter 51_ Three Musketeers

"Wait a minute," Arya interjected, causing Marco to turn his attention back to her.

"Yes?" he inquired.

"I believe it would be more suitable if you introduced me as an assistant, rather than an auditor. No one enjoys being constantly watched," she suggested, to which Marco nodded in agreement.

"You are correct. The thought of having a babysitter constantly roaming around is quite unpleasant," Marco remarked with a displeased expression.

'He does not seem pleased at all. I fear my time here will be quite challenging,' Arya thought silently as she followed him to the conference room.

Marco led her into the room, where three managers were awaiting their arrival. Arya's world shook as she realized their identities. 'Oh no! These three psychos are the top management of the branch company?'

"Here they are, our three musketeers. Lewis - Client relations manager," Marco introduced,

"Ciao," Lewis greeted.

"Martina - Marketing manager," Marco continued,

"Piacere. Nice to meet you," Martina greeted.

"And finally, Victoria - Accounting manager," Marco concluded.

"Hello," Victoria greeted with a friendly smile on her face.

"It is a pleasure to meet all of you," Arya commented politely with a smile on her face.

"This is Arya. She has come directly from headquarters to oversee the final steps of the project," Marco explained, causing the facial expressions of the three managers to change, each wearing a frown on their face.

"Oversee?" Victoria repeated.

'Dammit, I specifically told him not to mention that,' Arya thought silently as she shot Marco a glare. He shrugged apologetically, but she scoffed in response.

"Well, it is not exactly an oversight. It is more about streamlining the final steps of the process," Arya attempted to mediate the situation, but the expressions of the managers remained unchanged.

"I fail to see how an outsider could streamline anything. Are you familiar with our logistics and procedures?" Martina inquired with a stern expression.

"Not at the moment, but..." Arya's words trailed off as Lewis interjected.

"Do you possess a comprehensive understanding of our quality control procedures? I am unaware of what they have conveyed to you at the headquarters, but in this environment, we do not simply haphazardly assemble parts," Lewis remarked, to which Martina nodded in agreement.

"Indeed, we approach our work with an artistic flair," she added, prompting Arya to reflect, 'Well... At least they can cooperate when faced with a common foe.'

"I comprehend your sentiments, but all I can say is that I value results over preconceptions. Only time will reveal what I am truly capable of," Arya asserted, causing Lewis to scoff upon looking at her.

"You don't strike me as someone who could operate a vehicle. And if you cannot drive, how can you possibly comprehend the intricacies of assembling one?" Lewis challenged, leading Arya to be grateful to Franko and his son, Kane, for encouraging her to overcome her fear and obtain a driver's license. Now, all her hard work and determination to learn how to drive proved to be advantageous in this moment.

"I am, in fact, an accomplished driver," Arya asserted, causing Martina and Lewis to exchange skeptical glances.

"Is that so?" Lewis questioned, his tone tinged with suspicion.

"Indeed," Martina remarked, her tone laced with skepticism.

"Well, if you truly have the skills, why don't we make it a little more interesting with a race on the track? I'll even give you a full lap advantage," Lewis challenged, his tone daring. Arya knew that if she declined his challenge, they wouldn't see her as a capable leader and would not follow her instructions. Judging by their smug expressions, she knew they were waiting for her to retreat and decline the challenge.

"It's a deal," she confidently accepted, taking Marco by surprise and wiping the smirks off Martina and Victoria's faces.

"I'll see you tomorrow at the race track," Lewis confirmed, prompting Arya to tease him.

"At dawn?" she inquired.

"Do we really need to wake up so early? I was thinking more along the lines of 8 a.m. or—" Lewis trailed off, realizing that she was teasing him. He raised an eyebrow at her. "If you can move a car as fast as you move your mouth, tomorrow might not be so dull." With that, the group left the conference room, leaving Arya alone with Marco.

"I wouldn't celebrate just yet. You might want to spend some more time practicing on the circuit tonight," Marco commented, noticing a small smile on Arya's face.

"What do you mean?" Arya asked.

"Lewis has been the local amateur champion for the past five years," Marco revealed, and Arya exclaimed in surprise.

"What?" She thought to herself, 'Once again my impulsiveness got me in trouble, but hey, Arya, no matter how many racers are out there, you have the best of them with you. No need to worry about an amateur like Lewis.' With that in mind, Arya reassured Marco, "Don't worry, I have everything under control."

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At the hotel:

Upon entering the hotel room where Arya and Kane would be staying until their tasks in Italy were completed, she found Kane sitting on the couch with his slightly tousled hair and intently working on his laptop. She stood there for a moment, admiring him with love in her eyes. Seeing him so serious and focused on his work, Arya couldn't help but notice the bulge of his hands as he typed and how it made him look even more handsome and alluring.

'He's too handsome for his own good,' she thought to herself as she closed the door behind her and walked towards him. Kane looked up from his screen and smiled at her.

"How's my baby girl doing? And how was your first day at the branch?" Kane asked, setting aside his laptop and pulling her into his arms, placing a loving kiss on her forehead.

"Marko, the head manager, exhibited a moderate level of hostility, but the rest of the management team proved to be a nightmare. The office was rife with scandals, scheming, and public shaming, making it a difficult work environment.” Arya said, reclining against Kane's body.

"Is that so?" Kane asked, humming as he traced his fingers along her back.

"They spend their days hurling insults at each other. It's no wonder they can't get anything done." Arya noted.

"They must be incompetent then. If I were in my father's position right now, I would fire them all." Kane replied, his words serious as Arya pulled away to look at him. She pitied the employees of Maranello Enterprises when Kane eventually took over, as he seemed to be stricter than his father.

"Don't jump to conclusions, Kane. I think I need to dig deeper and understand why everyone is at each other's throats in that office. After all, I'm here to solve the problem." Arya said, as Kane shrugged in response.

"There has to be more to this. From what I've heard, each of these managers is a genius in their respective field. Although, geniuses can be a little strange." Kane mused, and Arya let out a sigh.

"While they may be geniuses, they are also incredibly annoying and I walked right into Lewis' trap." Arya admitted, proceeding to tell Kane what had happened in the office and how Lewis had tricked her into a race.

"Don't worry, Tigress. When I'm here, you don't have to worry about such things." Kane reassured her, picking up his laptop to watch some videos of Lewis driving. After a few minutes, he turned to Arya with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"He's an amateur, but he does possess some skills." Kane remarked.

"Do you think I stand a chance against him?" Arya asked, to which Kane nodded with a hint of naughtiness in his eyes. Arya looked at him suspiciously, knowing that when he had that glint in his eyes, it never boded well for her.

"I believe we have three options." Kane said with a grin.

"What are our options?"

"First, I could stealthily enter the vehicle, hide, and then we would switch positions just before and after the race." Kane stated.

"So, you will do all the driving?" She inquired, leaning closer to him to breathe in his cologne.

"Exactly. I won't go overboard with the tricks, but I will employ enough skill to silence Lewis once and for all." Kane replied, as Arya shook her head against his chest.

"I'm not sure about this, Kane. I don't like playing dirty. What's the second option?" She asked, her features contorting in concern.

"The second option is less complex. Once you're in the car, you'll put on an earpiece and call me. I'll watch the race from a distance and give you instructions on how to navigate the curves and shift." Kane explained, to which Arya nodded in understanding.

"A navigator, huh? That doesn't sound too bad." Arya mused, as Kane hummed in agreement.

"Exactly. I can't guarantee you'll win, but you'll certainly have a fighting chance. And the third option is for you to race alone." Kane suggested, causing Arya to scowl.

"And get torn to pieces. This whole thing isn't about the race, it's about saving the company as quickly as possible. Winning the race could be a step in the right direction. We can't afford to play fair or be gentle, so I'll go with the second option. That way, I know I'm beating him with my own hands." Arya declared, as a mischievous glint appeared in Kane's eyes.

"That's my girl. Lewis is a skilled driver, so it wouldn't be a fair race. But..." Kane trailed off knowingly.

"But what?" Arya prompted, as Kane leaned forward and pulled her into a deep, passionate kiss before revealing his true intention.

"You'll drive the car, and I'll guide you. But don't I deserve a reward for that, my sweet girl?" Kane purred, his deep voice sending shivers down Arya's spine as he nibbled on her earlobe.

"W-What do you want?" Arya breathed, closing her eyes as if surrendering to him.

"I'll claim my reward tomorrow. For now, let's teach you some basic racer skills." Kane said, as he pulled away from her, and turned to his laptop as they made plans for the dual challenge between her and Lewis tomorrow.