"What?!"
Anne screamed, dropping the plate and the entire bowl of salad she was holding.
Eric was glaring too, like he'd just seen a ghost.
"Bodyguard?" Anne shrieked. "How dare that arsehole offer you a bodyguard position, even after I threatened him with his balls? He's got some serious nerve!"
Then Eric turned to her, frowning.
"Maybe it's all your fault. You shouldn't have said those nasty things to him. Maybe that's why he got angry."
"Oh, so you're blaming me now?" Anne snapped back. "You're blaming me now? All I did was kindly tell him that if he dared not satisfy Tyler, I was going to scratch out his balls. And maybe that's why he's offering Tyler the role of bodyguard!"
I raised my hand, feeling the strain of even trying to speak.
I was traumatized — fully — emotionally, physically, mentally, every damn way you could imagine.
Taking that bullet for him was the biggest mistake I had ever made.
"Guys," I said hoarsely, "he already had that intention before I even risked my life for him."
Eric nodded slowly.
"You risked your life for him," he said, his voice heavy. "And honestly, him offering you a job as his bodyguard is... I mean, considering his company is basically built on bodyguards and security guardsman, it's kind of expected."
Anne rounded on him like a wildfire.
"Tyler doesn't even know how to protect himself from a flying roach! How's he supposed to protect some billionaire guy who's always endangered?!"
Before I could even react, Anne rushed to my side and grabbed my hand tightly.
This time, I could see it clearly — the sincerity blazing in her eyes.
"Do everything in your power not to accept this," she said, her voice trembling. "I'm begging you. You could die, Tyler. You barely survived this time. I almost lost you. Please... don't take the job."
I squeezed her hand lightly, forcing a tired smile.
"You don't need to tell me," I said.
"There's no way in hell I'm taking that job."
But deep inside, the question still itched at me:
Why would he even want me for this? Why me, of all people...?
Anne gritted her teeth, face flushed with anger, and whipped around to Eric.
"He's your boss, right? You have his contact, or his house address, or his office location, or something! I'm going there. I'm going to kick his ass. I'm going to show him just how big of an asshole he is."
Before she could fully fire up, Eric held up a hand, voice sharp.
"Anne, calm down. Tyler will be dead before you even touch that man. You don't understand — he's practically untouchable."
"He was almost touched!" I barked, voice cracking from the emotion clawing at my chest. "If I hadn't risked my life for him—"
"And maybe," Eric said quietly, cutting through the chaos, "maybe that's why you risked your life for him. Because he's untouchable. He just has that kind of aura... No one can resist."
Anne's eyes snapped wide open, and she turned her furious glare to me.
"Are you saying Tyler can't resist that man?"
My stomach flipped. Hard.
"What are you saying?" I stammered out, my face heating up.
"I can resist that man!" I blurted, probably too fast, probably too loud — and definitely too defensive.
But Anne just crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes like she was already reading the truth behind my words.
Eric cleared his throat loudly.
"Forget it," he muttered
I breathed out shakily, trying to steady myself. But that stupid, twisting feeling in my stomach wouldn't stop. It only got worse — until it wasn't nervousness anymore. It morphed into a sharp, burning irritation.
Because suddenly, his words came crashing back into my mind.
"If you don't accept the offer, your location will be sent to the early government you ran away from."
My heart skipped a violent beat. That would be the end of me. No question.
Anne must've noticed the shock draining the color from my face, because she rushed to my side of the bed so fast I barely registered it. Her hands gripped my shoulders tightly.
"What happened?" she demanded, voice shaking.
I opened my mouth, but no words came out at first. Finally, I managed, "He threatened me."
Anne's face turned as white as a sheet. She stumbled back a step, looking like she had just seen a ghost.
"That damn man," she hissed under her breath. "He's a monster. A devil. How could he—how dare he do that?"
Eric stood frozen for a second, then rubbed a hand across his face with a groan.
"You're dealing with a man who doesn't believe in limits," he muttered. "He only believes in results."
Anne snapped her head toward him.
"You knew he was like this and you didn't say anything?"
Eric threw up his hands defensively.
"I didn't know he'd go this far! Threatening Tyler's life? Come on, Anne, even I didn't think he'd pull that card."
The room fell into a heavy silence after that.
I stared at the wall, feeling like my brain had been ripped into a million useless pieces.
Three days.
I already knew I had three more days left in this hospital — three days to either accept the job offer or watch my whole life get destroyed.
Anne sat down heavily beside me, her hand covering mine.
"We're not letting him win," she said fiercely. "I don't care how powerful he is. We'll find a way out of this. Together."
Eric stayed quiet for a moment, then finally added,
"She's right. You're not alone, Tyler. Not this time."
But deep inside, a cold, heavy pit had already formed in my stomach.
Before I even had time to process it, my body moved on its own. I swung my legs off the bed and stood up, ignoring the sharp pain that shot through my ribs like a bolt of electricity. It felt like a thousand needles digging into my side, but I pushed through it. I couldn't stay still, not anymore. I had made my choice, and now I had to move.
"Tyler, wait!" Eric's voice was frantic as he reached out to steady me, his hands hovering near my shoulders, trying to keep me from stumbling. But I couldn't stop. I wasn't going to.
I slapped his hands away with more force than I meant to, the sound of my palm meeting his skin louder than I anticipated. The sting in my chest intensified, but I barely noticed.
"I'm fine!" I snapped, my voice sharp, cutting through the air. I wasn't fine, I knew that, but I needed to say it. I needed to believe it. "I can do this. I'm not helpless."