In your arms

Chapter 11: 2nd and 3rd Times the Charm

As BENJIE recited Claudia's litany of misdeeds, Ako listened in stunned silence, the weight of Claudia's malicious actions settling heavily in her chest. Rick, however, remained calm, his eyes narrowing as he absorbed the data. This wasn't just about the school anymore; Claudia was now a serious problem, and Rick was determined to address it.

Leaning back in his chair, Rick's lips curled into a wry smile. "Quite the colorful character," he mused, his disbelief evident. "Public urination? And her credit score—virtually nonexistent. But wait, it gets better: harassing minors? That's a major red flag. Doesn't the school conduct background checks on their employees?"

"BENJIE, compile the data and send it encrypted to Sylvester Anderson with high priority. List the email sender as Akomine Tanaka," Rick instructed.

"Understood," BENJIE responded smoothly. Moments later, a confirmation dinged: the message was sent.

Ako's gaze was fixed on the screen, her breath catching as the reality of their actions dawned on her. The realization hit her like a tidal wave—Claudia, the very person they had been investigating, was now at risk of losing her job.

"Oh my god, Rick," she stammered, her voice trembling. "Did we just... did we just put Claudia in trouble?"

Rick's gaze was steady as he replied, "Yes, I believe we did." He leaned back, a contemplative look crossing his face. "Isn't that the point of all this?"

Ako's laughter, bittersweet and trembling, mixed with relief and disbelief. "I was... I was ready to give up," she admitted, tears welling up. "I was ready to..."

Sensing her turmoil, Rick moved closer and enveloped her in a comforting embrace. "There's nothing you could do that would make me not love you," he murmured softly, his voice a soothing balm to her frayed nerves.

Ako sobbed against Rick's chest, clinging to him as if afraid he might vanish if she let go. "I'll always be here beside you," Rick promised, his voice resolute and warm.

"Benjie, pull up the video of Ako circulating."

"Right away, Master Rick," the AI replied promptly. The screens around them flickered to life, each displaying the video. Ako's sultry expressions and unmistakable desire played out across multiple monitors. Her face turned a deep shade of crimson, and she scrambled to cover the screens. "Please don't look!" she pleaded, her voice tinged with desperation.

Rick chuckled, his amusement evident. "Ako, I've seen you at your most vulnerable. There's nothing here that would make me think any less of you."

Ako's blush deepened as memories of their first night together flooded her mind. "Benjie, delete all of them," Rick ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"As you wish, Master Rick," Benjie responded, and one by one, the windows began to vanish from view.

"What should I do with the master file?" Benjie asked, a hint of teasing in its digital voice.

Rick turned to Ako, a playful glint in his eye. "Put it in my private folder."

Ako met Rick's gaze, and despite herself, a smile tugged at her lips. "Rick!" she protested, though a laugh escaped her. "Actually, you know what... keep it. As a reminder."

Rick's eyes gleamed with mischief as he reached for a box of tissues on his desk. "Oh, I'm gonna need a lot more tissues, I guess," he joked, his voice low and teasing.

Ako couldn't help but laugh, warmth spreading through her. A tingle of desire sparked within her, and she opened her mouth to say something cheeky. But then, she remembered BENJIE's ever-present digital gaze, and the words died on her tongue. She bit her lip, her eyes flicking between Rick and the nearest screen, her thoughts swirling with the possibilities.