A Deal With Mr Kane

The Start of a New Chapter

Alessia’s POV

By the time I got home, my head felt like it was spinning.

Everything that had happened over the last two hours replayed over and over in my mind like a movie. One minute, I was getting fired over a misunderstanding, and the next, THE Sebastian Kane was offering me more money than I had made all my life.

It all felt f*****g unreal.

I hit my head on my apartment door, hoping it would wake me from whatever dream this was but all I felt was a sharp pain on my forehead.

Yep! This was definitely real.

I turned the doorknob slowly and stepped in when it creaked open. I step in, still lost in thought and the familiar smell of chocolate popcorn and ramen greeted me. The television was on loudly in the background with a Korean romcom playing while Kate sat curled up on the couch with a giant bag of chips on her lap.

I was seconds away from asking why she was here and not at work when I remembered that she had a night shift today and only went to the hotel to get a few things she had left the night before.

The moment she saw me, she paused the TV and jumped to her feet.

“Oh my God, finally!” she cried. “What happened? Why do you look like that? Were you able to return the damn watch? You've got to give me something, Ally!"

I stared at her, trying to speak but no words came out.

Kate immediately dropped the chips onto the couch and hurried toward me, concern all over her face. “Alessia, you’re scaring me. Did Francis forgive you or are those rich assholes actually firing you? Please tell me they aren't firing you."

I dropped my gaze to the ground, bit my lips again as I finally found the words.

“I won’t be working at the hotel anymore,” I said and raised my head to see that Kate's entire face had dropped.

"Oh fuck."

She looked genuinely heartbroken for me and somehow, that made me emotional; again. Her lashes fluttered and her lips quivered like she wanted to say something comforting but couldn't find the right words.

"U-uh....it's okay." She said, forcing a smile that looked close to tears. "You know what? Screw that place." She said sudden;y, her voice getting stronger.

I could tell she was having one of her 'I need to be strong for Alessia' moments

"We'll figure something out. We always do." She nodded. "I'll ask around tomorrow and come up with a better place for you." She rambled, pacing around the tin apartment.

I knew it was time to stop her.

"Kate."

"There's this hotel thirty minutes from here. I know a girl who works there. It's not as good as Khotel but it could help you temporarily while applying for office jobs again."

"Kate!" I repeated, a little louder this time.

She stopped talking immediately and look ed at me, her eyes wet with unshed tears. Seeing how broken she was, I couldn't hold it in anymore.

A wide grin spread slowly across my face. "I won't be working at the hotel anymore because..." I do a dramatic pause.

"I just got a job at Kane Capital!"

An immediate silence followed.

Kate looked at me like I had suddenly become a clown. "W-what are yo talking about?"

“I said I got a job at Kane Capital!”

She blinked repeatedly, shook her head, and laughed. "Don't be funny with me. Tell me what happened. I'm not in the mood for jokes now."

“I am serious!” I squealed suddenly, unable to contain myself anymore. “Kate, we are going to be rich!”

Now she looked terrified. “Alessia, what did you do?”

I threw my head back, laughing. "Come on now, Kate. You know if there was anyone who would act erratically between us, it would be you."

Kate rolled her eyes in response. I thew my purse onto the couch and grabbed both her hands excitedly. “Sit down because you are not going to believe this.”

We dropped onto the couch and I immediately started talking, making sure no details were left out. I was so excited, the words spilled out so fast I could barely keep up with myself.

From marching into Mr Kane's suite with the intention to give him a piece of my mind, to Daniel Torres walking in and mistaking me for Sebastian's secretary. Then I explained how Sebastian agreed to it which I found insane until he explained that he needed me because Daniel Torres would only agree to meet with him if I was present.

I told her everything.

With every sentence, Katr's jaw dropped lower and lower her eyes widening with pure shock.

"What the actual f**k?" She whispered. "You're joking."

“I swear I’m not.” I say, still grinning.

“And Sebastian Kane offered you the position of his personal secretary?”

“Yes.”

“THE Sebastian Kane of Kane f*****g Capital?”

“Yes!”

Kate slapped my arm. “Stop yelling before I faint! This already so much to take in.”

I laughed so hard my stomach hurt. "Get ready to faint for real because that isn't even all." I tell her and she grips my arm for support.

"I can take it. Hit me."

I laugh again and take a deep breath. "Because of the nature of my job, he offered to pay me fifty thousand dollars a month!"

Kate froze completely.

The room went silent.

“…How much?”

“Fifty thousand.”

The bag of chips slipped from her lap onto the floor.

"You're joking."

"I'm not."

Kate grabbed my shoulders violently. “Alessia Maria Lopez, tell me right now that you accepted that offer!”

I stared at her like she had lost her mind. “Of course I accepted it! I'd be stupid not to.”

She screamed so loudly that the neighbor upstairs banged against the ceiling. Neither of us cared.

“Oh my God!” Kate yelled, jumping off the couch. “Oh my God! We’re finally escaping poverty! I always knew you would be my savior.”

I burst into laughter as she ran circles around the apartment dramatically clutching her chest. “That man is insane,” she continued. “Fifty thousand dollars? For what? Smiling at some rich i***t so that he signs his resort away?"

“Basically.”

Kate stopped pacing immediately. “Wait.” Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. “You’re absolutely sure you don’t have to sleep with anyone, right? Because that's a lot of money. I hope he won't expect you to--”

“No,” I said immediately. “I made that clear before agreeing. Sebastian promised nothing like that would happen.”

Kate studied my expression carefully before finally relaxing. “Okay. Good.” She sat beside me again. “Because if some billionaire tries to mess with my best friend, I’m going to jail.”

I scoffed. “You against Sebastian Kane? Please. He’d probably buy the police station before you even got there.”

“Still worth trying,” she said with a light shrug.

I shook my head, laughing softly. I had never felt this free in a long time. I was always on edge. Always worried about the next day because I was living from paycheck to paycheck.

Now, I had hope.

I could finally breathe, even though it was for a short while.

Kate leaned her head against my shoulder gently. “You deserve this, you know,” she said quietly. “You've been through so much. It's only right.”

“Honestly,” Kate continued, “God probably got tired of seeing you suffer,” she said jokingly and I laughed quietly.

“Maybe.”

“But listen to me carefully.” She sat up straighter suddenly, serious now. “Sebastian Kane may be rich and smoking hot and capable of buying half of this city…”

“Hot?”

“Don’t interrupt me.”

I rolled my eyes. "Yes, ma'am."

“But no matter how much he pays you, do not let him treat you like trash,” she warned in her motherly tone. "You might need this job because the money is insane and you would be stupid not to accept it, do not ever forget that he needs you as well. It's a win-win situation for both of you so don't ever get him make you feel he's doing you a favour."

A genuine, grateful smile appears on my face. "I won't." Then I pause and chuckle.

"But, you know, he is kinda doing me a favour."

Kate sighs and nods, already faking a tear. "A huge one. Fifty thousand is no joke, my friend." She says and we both laugh.

"Congratulations, Ally." She says after a while and kisses my forehead.

“When do you start?” she asked and I opened my mouth to answer but my phone suddenly dinged loudly in my purse.

I quickly pull it out and open the message. It was from an unknown number.

[A car will arrive to pick you up shortly.]

Below the text were two simple initials. SK.

Kate’s eyes widened. “Oh my God. It's from him. It's Sebastian Kane.”

I stared at the message for a second before slowly looking up at her. Then, a smile spread across my face again.

“It seems,” I said softly, “I start now.”