Kyle
I just stood there. In complete silence as I watched her enter her room and shut the door.
I didn't know what to say. What to do. But I definitely felt my heart swell in guilt. But why the hell should i feel guilty, that too for a person like her.
Just because she patched up my wounds and made me something to eat, doesn't justify anything.
I know for the fact that the Wilsons and my already dead rivals were working together to capture me. They succeeded in it too. For a whole year i was tormented till i became numb. Then my luck was good enough at that time when I managed to run away from that place.
I had reached a club but unfortunately one of the men who was drinking in that same club caught hold of me. Then Sophia and her friends rescued me and the rest is history.
So what if they were dead. I know that the Wilsons will not stop until they acquire their share of my inheritance. I haven't touched that money.
Everything that i've built, is from my very own hard work. I created the Vipers from scratch and i'm fucking proud of it. The inheritance is just a trap laid out for them, when they think they've succeeded in their mission, is the time they'll breath their last on this earth.
My head started to hurt a little bit. I should really eat something. I stared at the soup which was still steaming hot.
"Fuck this" I whispered and took the soup bowl and a spoon and started to eat it. It was instant soup but the way it was made was delicious. After finishing it, i washed it and placed it on the rack. Switching off all the lights, i go upstairs to my room and lay on my bed. My wounds still hurt but not that much. As i was facing the ceiling, my mind went back to Sophia. Her injured leg and her wrists. Why the fuck am I feeling so worried for her?
I tossed and turned around, not being able to sleep at all. I need to know if she's alright or no.
"No i'm not doing this because I care for her. Her brother will eat me alive if he finds a single scratch on her".
Making my way to her room with a first aid box in my hand, i slowly open the door and find her fast asleep. Taking slow steps next to her, i pick her gun in case she wakes up and literally shoots me. I kept it far from her reach and sat beside her. Slowly taking her wrists in my hand, i see that it is slightly swollen and red.
"Fuck did i do this?" I whispered. God Kyle you're such an idiot.
Taking a cold compress, I gently press it on her wrists which caused her to move a bit. I stopped my actions for a while before continuing it.
Soon her wrists looked better. It was still slightly red but the swelling was almost gone.
"Time to check her leg"
I say and move a bit back and take a look at her bandaged leg. She did a good job in cleaning it up and wrapping it. There is no high chance of infection. I better take an appointment with our close doctor just to be sure.
"I'm supposed to hate you and make you miserable but why the thought of you have a single scratch makes my blood boil?" I whisper while looking at her tired but beautiful face. Let me just use this little time to actually take a look at her.
Currently she is wearing loose black shorts and a sleeveless white tee. Her boyish medium length hair is now burgundy. She has a sleeve tattoo on her right arm which consisted of a snake, mostly a black mamba and a few dandelions on her wrist.
Dandelions are my favorite. Still are. I remember her telling me two years back that she got them because they reminded her of me. My heart swelled at that statement.
Her ears adorned with multiple piercings and a tattoo on the back of her neck.
Fuck she looks so sinful right now. My hands unknowingly started to caress her soft legs. Fingers going up and down, like a feather on a body. So light and dainty. Her lips turned into a pout, tempting me to kiss them forever. Her fucking lip ring looks so damn good on her. Everything about her is so heavenly.
I snapped back to reality and pulled my hands away. Fucking hell Kyle get those thoughts out of your mind.
As i was about to get up, i heard her mumble something.
"Kyle i'm sorry....please don't hate me" she said quietly as a lone tear slipped from her eyes. My insides started to twist and turn hearing her weak but honey voice.
My guess is that she sleep talks a lot.
"I know i belong to a horrible background but trust me i would never do anything to hurt you..." she again spoke in that same tone. I wanted to listen more. Even though I wanted to leave this room asap I couldn't.
"I think i have fallen in love with you.."
My heartbeat increased. I could feel tingles all over my body. Everything felt blurry all of a sudden.
Without thinking another thought, i dashed out of the door and back to mine.
I plopped myself on the bed and closed my eyes as i felt my head hurt.
The same words repeating in my head again and again.
She loves Kyle, not me. She loves the bright and sunshine version of me, not this monster. She doesn't love Kiyoshi.
"Sophia stop it, stop wrapping me around your finger"
I'm supposed to hate you Sophia....why is my heart changing sides now? Why does it have to be us..
Suddenly my phone rang. I sighed and picked it up. It was Akira. Why the hell is this idiot calling me at 2:45 in the morning.
"What is it you fucktard"
"Kyle, you won't believe what I just found. It-it's gonna change everything. Our whole damn plan is gonna go reverse" he panted.
"Akira this better be worth ruining my night. I'll come there to see what you found out after I get some damn sleep"
"How's your injuries now?" He asked
"Umm yeah it's better now...."
"Sophia must be good at basic first aid" he praised her.
"Yeah whatever now cut the damn phone and let me sleep" I groaned tiredly.
"Please do, and take rest" he says and cuts the call.
What did he find out that will change everything? Guess we'll know in the morning.
__________________________________
I woke up at around 8 am. It was time to find out what Akira discovered. I got out of bed and did my regular morning routine. There's no way I can workout in this fucked up state. Better to give my body some rest.
After changing, i got down and this time, Sophia was cooking breakfast.
I took a peek at her wrists which didn't have any swelling. Just a slight bit of redness. Her leg had a new plaster.
She didn't realize I was standing behind her. She turned around and almost dropped the plate filled with fruits. I instantly grabbed it causing my hands to touch hers. Electricity ran through every vein in my body.
"I-i'm sorry I didn't see you there.." she said not looking at me.
"Don't worry, I shouldn't just sneak in like that" she looked surprised at my now soft tone towards her.
"I need to go to the warehouse today for something important. Eat your food and rest. I'll be back in two hours" i say.
She simply nodded. Not arguing with me.
Damn why did that hurt? Of course she's gonna have that tone Kiyoshi, stop being a fool.
Shaking my thoughts away, i go out of the house and in my car. Starting the engine, i drive towards the warehouse.
After parking my car, i straight away go to Akira's chamber where he's sitting on his chair with his hands curled in his head. He looked rather guilty and frustrated.
"What's up? What is it that you needed to tell me? I ask and take a seat beside him.
He looks at me with tired eyes.
"Remember the pen drive which had the audio clip you sent me which contained Sophia revealing the hospital's name you were admitted in?"
"Yeah, what about it? Don't tell me you lost it"
"No I didn't. But I decided to analyze it further " he said making me confused.
"Okay? And what did your analysis tell you?"
He took a deep breath.
"First tell me where did you find this audio clip from?"
"I got this last year. It was sent in an envelope. I played it and...." I closed my eyes as the audio played in mind word by word.
"Remember, he is in City Hospital. His floor is on the 7th one. I better get my fair share from you guys. It was easy enough to get the name from his dumb parents. Pffft old fucks didn't even think twice before telling it. Now I don't care what happens with him, you guys better pay me and my parents quick"
"She didn't even think twice about me, all she and her waste of oxygen parents wanted was money" I gritted my teeth as the audio played.
"Well you may have to rethink your words buddy"
"Will you fucking tell me what did you find before i shoot you" i was getting frustrated right now.
"Okay....so when you showed me this audio, even I was taken aback. I was ready to destroy her along with you but after seeing her and talking to her a few times, I really don't think she did this Kyle"
"Are you seriously getting thrown outside the track just because she spoke to you nicely"
"No. But my gut was telling me that she is innocent. So yesterday, the whole day I was busy breaking down every sound of this audio. When was it taken, who recorded it, everything"
"And what happened?"
He let out a sigh
"Turns out the voice didn't even belong to a human being. It-it was created through AI voice" he said and the whole world stopped spinning for me.
"It's true Kyle, someone used AI to mimic Sophia's voice and it was so crisp and clear that anyone would've been fooled by it"
It felt like someone threw ten thousand stones on me. As if someone was constantly electrocuting me.
"So-so you're saying that Sophia didn't contribute to any of this?..." my hands were shaking at this point.
He shook his head sadly.
"Sophia is innocent buddy. She would never hurt you. Heck she gave up living a normal lifestyle and chose to enter this dark world and finish off traffickers, do you think she would stoop this low?" He asked and I didn't know what to answer.
"I-i..." my words were stuck in my throat. All the times where I insulted her, made her miserable was coming back to me.
"Fuck fuck all this time I thought that she....she was involved with her parents in this..." i pulled my hair in frustration.
Akira was patting my back trying to console me.
"Buddy calm down, it's not entirely your fault either. After what you went through, it was evident that you'd believe that Sophia could do this. I mean she is their daughter" he said which made me feel even more horrible.
"I think someone must've spied on her while she was visiting you in the hospital. Maybe even before that. We should clarify all the facts before coming to a conclusion".
I nodded at his statement, still being in denial.
What have I done....
"I-i need to go back home. Fuck i need to rest. Call off all activities for the next three days. I need to clear my fucking mind. I'll be staying with you for sometime, I can't be in the same house as her after this.."
I say and rush out. I immediately jumped into my car and screamed. I was fucking disgusted by myself. I couldn't even look at myself in the mirror.
All this time, I thought she betrayed me. I thought she was the one who helped those bastards.
I let myself get fooled by a fucking AI voice! Instead of thinking everything through, i blindly trusted something which was created.
How the hell do i face her now? How do i even look at her without getting reminded of all the times I threw hateful words at her.
Will she ever forgive me for my stupidity?
___________________________________
Parking the car in the driveway, i got out feeling so weird and nervous.
"Fuck it you asshat just get a bag with clothes and get out" i say to myself. I can't even look into her eyes without feeling guilt rush into my body.
I slowly opened the door and she was sleeping on the couch. Her injured leg slightly elevated on the arm rest and her back facing me.
I immediately rush into my room without making any noise and grab a bag with some stuff and zipped it up. Hurriedly, I came back downstairs and before i could open the front door, I heard
"Where are you going?" She asked sleepily.
"Uh.." fuck fuck think of an excuse.
"You're still not recovered from your injuries, don't overwork yourself Mr. Yamato" she sat up while saying so.
Why are you still caring for me, even after treating you like absolute crap.
"I'm not going for a mission, i'm just gonna stay with my friend for two to three days to settle some matters" i said hoping for her to buy the excuse.
"Oh okay, btw Tyler will come back tomorrow. He said that he'll rent a house near the warehouse for the remaining 6 months, so don't be surprised if my stuff is gone okay?" She said in a monotone voice.
I want to say so many things right now. I want to apologize on my knees, begging her to forgive me. But I'm so ashamed of myself that I can't even utter those words.
But I can't say anything now, not until i'm one hundred percent sure of everything.
I simply nodded and went to my car and drove off to the warehouse. Akira stays in the warehouse itself and has his own chamber.
Within these three days, i need to get every possible information relating to the Wilsons. It makes me wonder at times that why doesn't Sophia defend them whenever i make any crude comments on them. She just nods and agrees with me. Something doesn't fit right. It has to be more than this.
Sophia is anyways not going to be taking on any missions for sometime so i can freely roam in the warehouse without fearing that she'll catch me.
"How long till all this comes to an end?" I whispered to myself as I started the engine and drove off to the warehouse.
After reaching there, i slammed the door open which caused Akira to flinch and take his gun out and point it at me. I just stared at him with dead eyes and he instantly realizes that it's me.
"You motherfucker you scared me" he sighs and puts his gun back into his pocket.
Rolling my eyes, i throw the bag to one corner and tiredly lie on the bed.
"How did it go with Sophia?" He asks.
"I just left telling her that we have to settle some matters" i said with my eyes closed.
I felt him sit beside me. He sounded tired and tensed. This whole situation is just messing us up in the worst way possible.
"So what are you going to do now?" He asked.
"Well tomorrow she is moving out of the house to live with Tyler. He said he is coming back tomorrow and found a place near the warehouse so things will run a bit smoothly for us".
"I meant as in, what are you planning to do with this new information?" He asks as i think about it.
"Right now, i need to find out everything about this family. Their history and their connections with our clan. Also why the fuck would they use their own daughter like this?"
It always made me curious. They kept her hidden from the whole world, there's not a single picture of them together. Just what is going on with this family?
"How do you feel about her?" He suddenly threw this question at me. My breath hitched for a second before replying.
"I..I don't know...I can't stand it if someone even touches her. She makes my head spin and puts my heart on blaze. I wanted to hate her but somewhere in my heart, I couldn't hate her. Something kept telling me that she could never do this, but i guess, my thirst for revenge overtook my...my feelings for her" I finished as Akira just stared at me. I could tell he wanted to say a lot but again nothing came out from his mouth.
Why is everything so messed up right now? How did it all become like this?
I didn't even realize when i fell asleep.
When i woke up the next day, i was greeted with the sight of Akira. He sat beside me with a cup of coffee.
"Hey man you slept well?" He asks.
I got up, throwing my legs to the side, hissing at my still not healed injuries. I just sighed in response and he understood that i really wasn't in the mood to answer anything. I took the coffee mug and sipped on it. I simply stared at the wall in front of me, not knowing what to do and where to even start from. It felt like i was stuck in a never ending maze and only Sophia could bring me out of it. God i'm still cursing myself internally for everything.
"You do realize that sitting like this isn't gonna help at all right?" Akira suddenly breaks the painful silence which brings me back to reality.
"I don't even know where to put my next step akira. Everything is just...not on track".
"Well i do have some new information which can help us plan our next step". He says while bringing his laptop in front of me.
"Look Akira if it's about the gun supply then I don't want-
"It's about Sophie" he finishes which causes me to instantly snatch the laptop from his hands. I carefully read everything and my eyes widen in shock.
"Akira what bullshit is this huh?!" I screamed at him.
"It's true. I had my sources confirm it more than 20 times".
Before i could say anything my phone rang. I check the caller ID and it wad Tyler.
"What does he want now?" I mumble in frustration and answer the call.
"What happened Tyler-
"K-Kiyoshi...help..." he said as if he was dying.
"Tyler what the fuck! are you okay?! Where is Sophia??!" I was panicking so much right now. If Tyler was in this condition then...oh no I don't want to think about it.
And his next sentence made my blood freeze.
"The Wilson's kidnapped Sophia"