Sweet and Spicy [COMPLETED]

Kaya's Problem

"Marcy, do we have a shock blanket or something?" Jacob called as he herded Kaya into the kitchens. 

Marcy poked her head up from her station. "No. Why?" 

"Big Sis doesn't look too good." 

"Did something happen?" Marcy grabbed a towel to wipe her hands off. "Bring her here and sit her down. She's white as a sheet." 

Kaya let them maneuver her around the kitchen. At this point, she just didn't have the strength to move on her own. When did things go so terribly awry? 

"What happened?" Marcy asked again, this time hitting Jacob in the shoulder. 

Jacob shrugged, his face the picture of confusion. "The Big Boss told me to bring her here. She was already like this. What do we do?" 

"I'll be fine," Kaya lied. 

Jacob and Marcy answered in unison, "No, you won't." 

Well, at least her kitchen friends were all of the same mindset. Kaya raked shaky fingers through her hair. Why here, of all places? Why now? She came here to get lost in the crowds. How did he find her? 

"What's going on here?" Betty appeared at the office door. 

The answer came from the kitchen door. "Nothing that I won't explain in a bit." 

Ransom marched in with a single security guard on his tail. Apparently something else had happened after Kaya left, or surely the guard would be at his post. 

Jacob leaned closer to Marcy's ear. "Big Boss is actually, personally visiting us?"

Marcy arched her brows as if she knew something she shouldn't. 

Kaya chose to ignore them. They were harmless. She had much bigger worries. 

Ransom stopped in front of Kaya, but addressed her friends. "May she and I have a few moments alone?" 

Kaya had never seen Jacob or Marcy move so quickly. They were out of the kitchen before she had a chance to ask them to stay. Betty just shook her head and returned to her office. 

Ransom leaned against the counter beside Kaya. "Would you like to explain why you're so frightened of that man?" 

"Not really." 

"You'll explain, anyway." Ransom didn't leave room for argument. "It's time you trusted someone else to help you instead of taking all the burdens on your own shoulders." 

"He's someone I never want to see again in my life." Kaya shook her head. That wasn't entirely right. "Someone I can't see ever again." No, not that, either. "It's best if we never cross paths." 

"But you did cross paths." Ransom slid his jacket off his shoulders and slung it around Kaya. "So I think it's time you tell me something useful." 

Kaya sighed. Ransom had a point. It might be easier to trust someone else to help her out. But she didn't want to be a burden. 

"Kaya." 

"Okay." Kaya blew out yet another breath, hoping it would calm her nerves. "For now... he's the reason I had to move to the city in the first place." 

"Because he harassed you?"

"Because I exist. And I shouldn't have ever existed in the first place."