The continuous knocking on my door was annoying me like hell. I had put on my earphones and blasted music to almost deafening levels in order to drown it out, but it only got louder by the minute. Not to mention, Korn had started pacing by the door and was likewise growing agitated by the constant noise.

"Reianne!" Baron growled on the other side followed by banging loud enough to penetrate the mid-chorus growls of a Falling In Reverse song filtering through my earphones. I inwardly groaned, hunching on my seat at the tiny dining table, assigned readings before me, and furiously scribbling notes to make up for lost time.

Maybe if I ignore Baron enough, he would think I was not home and just go away.

"Reianne! I know you're in there. Open the door," Baron shouted as he demolished my door some more.

Korn paced and hissed. Baron knocked. My anxiety levels shot up higher than my ugly-ass ceiling.

"Reianne! Open up! I asked the guard downstairs! He said you have not left the building!"

I facepalmed. That blabbermouth of a guard!

A faint creaking of a door, followed by the muffled voice of one of my next-door neighbors, registered. Next thing I knew, said neighbor was calling me.

Ugh.

I better get this over with.

I rushed to the door and opened it with more force than intended.

"What do you want?" I growled, then clammed up when I saw my neighbor was there too--a friendly grandmother who smiled at everyone she passed by the hallways. She gave me a curt nod before returning to her unit.

I snapped my head to Baron, who had an arrogant grin on his face.

"Why are you here?" I growled.

The grin only widened. "Matilda wants you to have this." He dangled a Gucci bag in front of my face. It had a large stain on the body, and I could not imagine myself using it, but Ms. Yin figured I could still sell it somewhere and fetch a decent sum for it. I took it quickly from Baron and shifted to slam the door shut, but it refused to. Baron had wedged his foot between the door and the jamb. Looking up, Baron's smug face filled my vision as he pushed the door open and entered. I inwardly seethed.

"I also brought breakfast." Baron went past me and tossed the bags of food on my tiny kitchen counter, then proceeded to sit on my couch like he owned the damned place.

Ms. Yin computed my expenses and cash flows and concluded that I did not have extra for bail.

Gaddamn, murder is expensive.

"I don't eat breakfast, Baron." I totally lied. Breakfast is life.

Korn raced towards the open door and momentarily removed my attention from Baron. I scooped him up and quickly kicked the door shut. He squirmed in protest and leapt out of my arms with a huff, giving me a stinky side-eye before circling Baron. To Korn's credit, he took one sniff at Baron and decided he didn't like him, if that derisive feline snort was any indication.

Baron's eyes raked over my body and disgust slithered my frame. I folded my arms across my chest and leaned on the wall.

Baron pointed at the food atop the kitchen counter. "I was out of the house pretty early today so Mum packed my breakfast. She packed for you too. She'd be disappointed if she knew you didn't eat it."

Ugh.

Straightening up, I went over to the food and took them out one by one from the container, and set the table. Meanwhile, Baron kept watching me. It was unnerving, but it was nothing new. When I was still living with them, he would stare at me when I was doing chores. I ignored him. From experience, I knew that it would only get worse if I made a big deal out of it.

"See? It wasn't that hard, is it?" Baron said, smug, as I sat in front of him. I didn't dignify his statement with a response.

Taking a plate, I ate as fast as I could to get it over with. The food was my favorite too--sausages, eggs, and garlic fried rice. Unfortunately, I couldn't fully enjoy them because of the company.

"I know you like putting things into your mouth, but slow down a bit," Baron said as I was about to take another bite off the sausage.

Here we go. Creep mode, on.

"I need to go somewhere. I'm in a hurry," I replied casually, disregarding the innuendo in his words.

"A quickie then." He smirked, his eyes glinting with obvious intent.

I forcefully put down my utensils and let out a breath. "Get out."

"It's hard, you know!" He looked down at his crotch suggestively and laughed.

"Get out or lose a limb, Baron," I repeated, pointing a finger at the door.

Baron laughed and banged the table hard enough to rattle the dishes. I crossed my arms and leaned back, seething. I could do him serious harm. I knew I could. It would be so fucking easy to dislocate his shoulders.

I crossed my arms tighter as Baron howled in laughter some more.

"You're playing so hard to get. It's so funny. You never fail to amuse me." Baron wiped the corner of his eyes with the back of his hand.

I looked down, breathing heavily, and trying to calm myself down. It wouldn't do me any good to hurt him. As much of a jerk he was, I still needed his father's support for my law school fees. I just began my second year in law school. My jaw tensed when I realized I had to tolerate the Shens for a few years more.

I was too preoccupied with my own thoughts that I didn't notice Baron moved. His hands grasped the back of my head as he leaned towards me, his body colliding against the glasses. Water spilled all over. His face was just inches from mine, but I was too shocked to move or speak.

"I know you want me, Reianne," he said, as his mouth formed into a smug smile.

I blinked. In what universe? In. What. Fucking. Universe?

I moved away, but his grip on my neck tightened.

"Maybe you just have to give me a try, Rei."

His eyes darted to my lips and I panicked. I shoved him hard enough to send him to the floor, along with the remaining dishes. It took all I had not to send a needle flying into his gonads.

I stood up and pointed towards the door, my hands shaking in repressed anger. "Out!"

He sat up, brushing off the crumbs that littered his previously immaculate shirt. "Ah, look what you did. This shirt is ruined now." He took it off, dropping it in front of him. He stood up and stretched. "Make sure you wash that, okay?"

I heaved in exasperation and made my way towards the door, away from the temptation of knives on top of my kitchen counter.

Baron grasped my arm tight. I tensed and glared, fighting the urge to break his arm in three places.

"Hands off, or I swear to God, you'll lose that hand."

I must have looked pissed enough to actually do it because Baron let go. He raised both hands up in mock surrender.

"Fine, fine. I'll leave." He turned, shaking his hands to rid himself of the crumbs. He looked back as he reached the door and stared at me. I thought he would say something, but he only chuckled before finally stepping out.

A relieved breath unknowingly escaped my lips when the door finally closed with a slight thud. I bolted the doors as fast as I could, darted towards my drawers, and poured alcohol on my hands. I let it run down my arms before rubbing and drying my hands on my clothes.

A look at the mess in my kitchen had me groaning. Korn was already eating the sausages on the floor, soft contented purrs radiated from his fluffy body.

Well, at least one of us is happy with this shit.

With another exasperated sigh, I set upon cleaning, dousing everything that Baron touched with alcohol. This day couldn't get any worse, or so I thought. 

My phone rang, filling my entire apartment with the Jaws' iconic intro. I picked it up without looking. I didn't have to look at my phone to know who was calling. For my hearing's protection, I left the required three inches between my ears and the phone.

"Reianne!"

The Inspector put loudspeakers to shame.

"Wow, Inspector. Calling me twice in one day. You really must be missing me. Not enough criminals to chase lately? I can rob a--"

"Did you?"

I paused, swallowing my smart-ass reply. "Did I do what now?"

"Rob someone?"

Gio's unfairly pleasant face flashed before my eyes.

"Who? Me?"

"Someone filed a complaint today, saying that a certain Reianne stole his wallet!"

What the hell, Gio? Why can't you be a good victim and not tattle to the police!

I sat on my bed and rested my head on my hands. If the Inspector learned that I stole again, I would be in a deep fucking mess. I did not know what he would do, but I bet Korn's butt that it wouldn't be pretty.

"I am not the only Reianne in existence, Inspector," I replied. "Even if, let's say, I did what you think I did, even though there's no way I would have done it, you can choose to not act on the complaint, right? Delay it a bit. This is all hypothetical of course, since I did not do it."

"I have a sketch here of the thief, Reianne. Looks very familiar if you ask me," the Inspector growled at the other end of the line.

"I don't know, Inspector. Maybe he accidentally dropped the wallet and it fell inside my bag. This is all a big misunderstanding! A misunderstanding of epic proportions, I tell you!" I said as I facepalmed and rubbed my face repeatedly. I raised my knees and rested my forehead on them. I needed to think of a good excuse.

Korn jumped on the bed and deemed it a good time to squeeze himself between my lap and tummy. I let him, petting underneath his feline chin and letting his contented purring calm my nerves.

"Reianne, he wanted an arrest warrant issued. The only reason the police had not arrested you was because he did not know your full name and address."

I gulped.

"Do you know who he is, Reianne?"

I did not answer. There was not a correct answer at this point.

"He is Giovanne Marcus Lee, the youngest and richest business tycoon in the country, owner of the Amedicus chain of hospitals, among other business ventures. Do you think I can say "no" to him? The Chief of Police called me personally to take care of this."

My jaw dropped. Then it dropped some more.

"Fix this today, Reianne," he said, a warning in his tone before he dropped the call.

Korn meowed.

"Yeah, I know. We're screwed."

Goddamnit.

This chapter got rewritten heavily, I think only a few lines survived. XD The first draft was really cringy. I apologize to everyone who read it. XD

Baron was a creep in the first draft. He outdid himself in this one. Lol. *pats Baron* *bleaches hands*

RF

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