Sweet and Spicy [COMPLETED]

A Twist of Fate

Kaya never expected to wake up to an empty house. Ransom had asked her to stay at his place for a few days, but he had never left without telling her. He didn't answer his phone. Kaya didn't even find a note. 

Strange, at best, but Kaya could do nothing about it. 

So she tried to push it out of her mind while she showered and changed clothes. If something had gone wrong, Ransom would have told her somehow. She had full faith in that. 

The elevator doors dinged at the same time Kaya entered the kitchen. 

Kaya raced back into the living room, only to see Jade and Kestrel entering instead of Ransom. Her shoulders slumped. 

Jade tipped her head, curious. "What's wrong? You don't like being my friend anymore?" 

"It's not that." Kaya pouted. "Ransom isn't with you?" 

"He's not here?" Jade peered toward the far side of the penthouse. "Kestrel came with me specifically to hand over the corruption evidence against his company president." 

"I never liked that man. Honestly." Kestrel rolled his eyes. "How he ever succeeded at anything still baffles me." 

"Did Ransom ask you to come over today?" Kaya asked. 

Jade shrugged. "Ransom doesn't ask me to do anything. I make my own life plans. Is he really not here?"

Kaya shook her head. 

Jade frowned. "Have you called the company?" 

"I called him, personally, but he didn't pick up." 

"Give me a minute." Jade opened her phone and proceeded to tap in a series of numbers. "Yes, hello. Is Ransom Lee in his office today? This is his cousin, Jade. Okay. Thank you." She hung up. "General affairs knows nothing." 

A pin-prick of anxiety grew in the pit of Kaya's stomach. If Ransom wasn't at home and he didn't go to work, then what happened? 

Her nerves must have shown on her face, because Kestrel set down the files in his hand and rushed to her side. "No need to fret. Why don't you have a seat? Jade will figure this out and I will get you a nice cup of tea." 

Kaya obliged mostly because she didn't know what else to do. She had become too dependent on Ransom. What would she do if something happened to him? 

Kestrel gave Kaya's head a pat before he disappeared into the kitchen. 

Jade dialed another number. "Hello? Tobin? Have you seen my cousin?" 

Oh, Tobin. That was a good idea. Why did Kaya always blank about what to do during emergencies? Couldn't she get over that habit. 

"Yes, she's fine. Sitting right here. That wasn't my question. And where are you? It's so loud." Jade rolled her eyes, then (probably due to something Tobin said) snapped back to attention. "You're where? Are you sure you said that correctly?"

Kaya perked up, craning her neck to try and hear Tobin's side of the conversation. 

Jade rolled her lips together, then popped them apart. "Okay. Yep. Yeah, sure, leave all the dirty work to me. Whatever. Let's talk later." She hung up before Tobin could possibly say anything else. 

Kaya raised her eyebrows, silently questioning Jade about the information she received. 

Jade sank onto the sofa beside Kaya, took Kaya's hands in hers, and sighed. "First, promise me you won't freak out." 

"That might be difficult."

"Yeah, I figured." 

Kaya squeezed her friend's hands. "What happened?" 

"I don't know all the details, but..." Jade winced. "Ransom's been arrested." 

"Ransom's been what?" Kaya shook her head as if that might recalibrate the information Jade just divulged.

Jade offered a smile, not reassuring at all. "I'm sure it was all some sort of misunderstanding."

"Jade. Repeat what you said."

"It's all a misunderstanding?"

"Before that."

Jade sighed. "Ransom has been arrested."

Kaya pressed a hand to her chest, her breaths as unsteady as her heart.

"But you needn't worry. Ransom's lawyers are the very best, I assure you." Jade reached out to clasp her hands around one of Kaya's. "Whatever happened, he'll be out in no time."

Kaya shook her head, unable to come up with anything else to do.

Ransom, arrested? What happened between last night and this morning? What kind of trouble did he put himself in to end up in jail?

Jade gave Kaya's hand a squeeze. "Really, you don't need to worry."

Oh, but she did. Because Kaya had a sneaking suspicion that Richard Aberdeen had been behind this whole mess. It seemed too convenient that Ransom would end up in jail only eight days before Richard's assemblyman nomination ceremony.

Without all the details of Ransom's plan, Kaya shouldn't do anything on her own.

But Richard's plot to take down Ransom made her angry enough to want to do a lot.

Kestrel sailed back in from the kitchen, a teacup and saucer in hand. "I've brought tea. Let's take a sip, hm? Calm the nerves, settle the stomach. Then we can discuss what's going on."

The teacup and saucer settled with a clink against the coffee table.

With a shaking hand, Kaya lifted both and wiggled her fingers out of Jade's hand to lift the teacup to her lips. The tea tasted like bitter herbs and honey. Kaya didn't care.

Kestrel settled on the edge of a nearby chair. "Did I hear something about an arrest?"

"Yes, you nitwit. Ransom." Jade rolled her eyes.

Kestrel chuckled patronizingly. "I am simply getting my facts straight, Lady Jade. No need for cutting wit."

Kaya set the cup and saucer back on the table. "If Ransom is jailed, what do we do now?"

"Tobin said you would ask that." Jade reached for Kaya's hand again. "Now, let the record show that this is not what I would say, but it is exactly what Tobin told me to tell you until he can get here to explain."

Kaya nodded. That made sense.

Jade cleared her throat. "Stay still. Don't do anything. That's the best course of action for this situation."

Kaya groaned. She might have known. If she hadn't asked, she would have an excuse to attempt revenge on the people who put Ransom in jail. Now, if she didn't listen to Tobin's advice, she would be in the wrong. Because Ransom had a plan and Tobin probably knew it.

"Wait, did you say Tobin was coming to explain?" A glimmer of hope lit in Kaya's heart.

Jade nodded. "He promised to come here as soon as he's done at the police station."

"And how long might that be?"

Jade shrugged.

Kestrel checked his watch. "I'll cook breakfast. We should at least try to wait patiently, yes?"

The girls both glared at him, but Kestrel didn't flinch. After pursuing Jade for so long, why would he be scared of a couple of harmless glowers?