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Chapter One: Shadows and Secrets
"Yes... he died six years ago, along with my mom, leaving me alone with my brother. So, you could say we live alone now," Akim said softly, his voice carrying the weight of unspoken grief.
Kayla froze. Her chest tightened as reality struck her like a sudden gust of icy wind. "No... no, no, no," she muttered under her breath, her head shaking in disbelief. "This can't be happening. I didn't fly all the way from Los Angeles for this nightmare."
Her thoughts spiraled as she clutched her purse tightly against her chest. Her perfectly manicured nails dug into the leather, her breath coming in short, uneven gasps.
"Miss, are you okay?" Akim asked, his brows furrowed with concern as he walked over. Gently, he patted her back, his hand firm yet comforting, trying to steady her frantic breathing. With careful guidance, he helped her sit down on an old wooden bench in the dusty mechanic shop, its peeling paint a stark contrast to her expensive designer outfit.
"No, I am definitely not okay," Kayla said sharply, her voice cracking with frustration. "My dad... he told me to come find your father. He said they'd been friends for years. The plan was for me to stay here, with your family, until everything settled. But now, I find out he's dead? Oh God, no. This cannot be happening right now." Her voice trembled as she ranted, her wide eyes brimming with unshed tears.
The two brothers exchanged a silent glance. Roman, the elder of the two, crossed his arms over his broad chest, his sharp gaze fixed on the distraught girl in front of him.
Finally, Kayla took a deep breath, her lips trembling as she spoke, "So... can I stay here? At least until I win the case and clear my parents' names?"
Roman's jaw tightened as he considered her words. After a tense pause, he finally spoke, his voice low and measured. "Yeah... you can stay."
Akim nodded in agreement. After all, how could they turn away a girl whose parents had been arrested—on her birthday, no less?
"Oh, you mean I can actually stay? Thank you so much, Romenia darling!" she said, flashing him a relieved smile.
"It's Roman," he corrected with a deadpan expression.
"Right, right... Roman, whatever," she said dismissively, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "Now, be a dear and grab my bags from the trunk, and bring Mr. Kuro down first."
Roman's brows knitted together, his sharp gaze locking onto hers. "Are you... ordering me around in my own house, Miss Kornels?" His voice was cold, his dark eyes narrowing dangerously.
Kayla smirked, tilting her head playfully. "Oh, of course not, baby boy. Now run along—you wouldn't want to keep me waiting, would you?" She leaned back on the bench, crossing her long, snow-white legs, her dress slipping slightly to reveal a tempting glimpse of skin.
As Roman turned to leave, Kayla playfully swatted him on the backside. The sharp smack echoed in the still air, and Roman froze mid-step. In one swift motion, he spun around and pinned her against the wooden wall, her back pressed firmly against the rough surface.
His face was inches from hers, his breath warm against her ear as he whispered darkly, "You wouldn't want to play with fire, Kayla. Would you?"
But Kayla, unfazed, smirked. "Oh, Roman... I love fire. In fact, I was born under a fire zodiac sign, you know." Despite her face being pressed against the wall, the sly grin playing on her lips was unmistakable.
Roman's eyes darkened, his breath hitching for a moment. Just then, Akim cleared his throat loudly from across the shop.
"Ahem!" he coughed theatrically.
The tension snapped like a rubber band, and both Roman and Kayla stepped away from each other with exaggerated nonchalance. Kayla adjusted her dress and smoothed her hair before settling back onto the bench, her legs crossed elegantly.
"I'll help with her bags," Akim said, hurrying after Roman, who was already stalking toward the parked black sedan.
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Outside, Roman yanked open the car trunk. From within, a soft meow sounded.
"What the... is that a cat?" Roman muttered, his brow twitching in disbelief. Akim chuckled as he carefully pulled out a fluffy, jet-black cat from the passenger seat.
"This girl brought a cat with her. Great," Roman grumbled under his breath as he began unloading Kayla's mountain of luggage.
As they carried her belongings back to the shop, Roman's patience wore thin. "Are you moving into a palace, or are you relocating an entire country? Who travels with this much stuff?" he snapped.
Kayla, lounging casually on the bench, raised an eyebrow. "Oh, darling, you wouldn't understand. Style and class come with a price."
But then, her eyes caught sight of Mr. Kuro dangling precariously from Akim's arms. Her face paled.
"Oh my God! Are you trying to kill him?" she shrieked, rushing forward and scooping the sleepy cat into her arms. "Poor baby, did these mean men hurt you? Oh, I'm so sorry, Kuro! Mommy's here now." She buried her face into the cat's soft fur, letting out dramatic sobs.
The brothers exchanged another silent glance, Roman rolling his yellowish-brown eyes.
"Such a beautiful waste of energy," he muttered.
After an hour of hauling her luggage and settling her into a spare room, the shop finally grew quiet. Roman returned to his workstation, only to find Kayla sitting on the ground nearby, her knees hugged to her chest and her phone clutched tightly in her hand.
.....
Minutes earlier, Kayla had been scrolling through Instagram, her heart sinking with every headline.
" Queen Bee # Slay Queen, a yacht in jail "
" Her face when the FBI Arrested her parents where priceless " then they added a funny shocked Gif of her face..
" her mouth hung open like those fish with giant teeth 😱 LoL "
there came more mean words at her making her heart bitter, most coming from her Instagram fans.
" The Kornels Daughter go bonkers after the history of her parents being a thief, 😤" her name was slandered up and down, as her Instagram fans help make awful comment of her...
Each comment felt like a dagger to her chest. People she once called fans were now turning against her, their cruel words leaving scars she couldn't show.
Closing her eyes shut she decided to logged out of her Instagram account, her hands trembling. I'll prove them all wrong, she thought fiercely.
"Kayla," Roman's voice cut through her thoughts, making her flinch. "Pass me that pair of pliers behind you."
Her head snapped up, her wide eyes meeting his piercing gaze. "Oh my gosh, you scared me! Do you want to give me a heart attack?"
Roman smirked faintly, shaking his head as he turned back to his work.
Kayla hugged Mr. Kuro closer to her chest and whispered under her breath, "Don't worry, Kuro. We'll show them all. We'll make them regret ever doubting us."
In the corner of the room, Roman's sharp ears caught her words. He couldn't help but smile faintly as he continued to tinker with the engine before him.
This... just got a lot more interesting.