y from my office, a heavy silence fell. He retur

alright? That was

own eyes devoid of the warmth he was used to. "I' m fine, Marcus. I just realiz

he had clung to him. She wasn' t just grieving; she was in love with him. Her brother' s death

erabilities. I had treated her like family, all while she was plotting my dea

y is the only currency I accept. Not sob stories, not fa

ed. He saw the change, the hardness that hadn't been there yesterday

tand, sir,

eave, there was a hesitan

e Johns. The daughter of my estate manager. I remembered her from my

ly a whisper. "I... I heard you have an

ience. No security background. In my first

dyguard, Ms. Johns

. But I know this city. I know its networks, its secrets. I can

her' s loyalty was absolute. In a world of snakes,

it," I said, dismis

her eyes, and quietly left. But a seed wa