LOGIN"A security company only really asks for a few things from its employees. No criminal record, good combat skills, and a strong sense of duty." Marcus clearly saw himself as the company's best hire when he talked to Tony about it. "I got in after taking on ten men by myself."Tony fell silent. That did sound like there was nothing wrong with it. A bodyguard like him who was skilled and responsible would be in demand anywhere.Marcus then asked, "What about you?""Obviously, I got with the power of exceptional intelligence," Tony said naturally. "You don't think everyone gets by on brute force like you, do you?"Marcus said flatly, "Got it. You got in through connections."Tony gave Marcus a look.Trying to save his dignity, he added, "We specialize in different things.""Right," Marcus said expressionlessly."My mind works better than yours," Tony said."That still doesn't change the fact that you can't fight," Tony said in a matter-of-factly tone.Tony gritted his teeth.He
"She's getting suspicious now," Marcus said in a serious tone regarding Sierra."Isn't that normal?" Tony was calm, thinking Marcus was overreacting about it. "It would be a problem if she wasn't."Marcus stared at him."I wasn't wrong," Tony said.Marcus then brought up something else even in the middle of talking about something so serious. "You were disrespectful to the Miss. I'm reporting you to her.""How childish can you be?" Tony was especially quick with his sharp tongue. "You're a grown man. Why are you still complaining like a kid? Can you please handle it like an adult?""Alright," Marcus said without hesitation.The next second, he got up and walked toward him.Tony froze.Facing Marcus's stiff, intimidating presence, his composure finally cracked. "What are you doing? I'm the bodyguard, driver, and secretary now. If anything happens to me, she'll definitely... Argh!"Tony cried out in pain as Marcus grabbed him in one clean submission move. He was fast and effici
Sierra's heart sank when she heard Anna's explanation. She had not expected Daniel to be thinking that far ahead."That's it, more or less." Anna said as she looked at Sierra with mixed emotions.Anna had her issues with John, but she also had to admit that in some ways, he was thoroughly devoted to Sierra. She had not paid much attention earlier, but she had clearly noticed the extra layer of protection around the house during this time.No one could really stop someone from truly wanting to protect another."I understand," Sierra said. She remained calm even when she understood everything now."Don't take it too seriously." Anna did not want her daughter to carry the weight of her own past. Sierra had every right to choose everything she wanted for herself. "No matter what you decide, I'll support you."Sierra nodded in agreement.After they talked a little longer, Anna told her to go back to her room and wait for the results.Sierra did not ask any more questions as she went
After Sierra got home that day, she played with Tommy for more than an hour before going to see Anna. The two of them took a slow walk through the garden.Seeing how calm and quiet she was, Anna asked, "Something on your mind?"Sierra nodded. After taking a moment to collect herself, she asked, "Is it wrong to doubt someone who has been treating you well?""A friend?" Anna asked."No," Sierra said.Anna thought about the people Sierra had been around lately. After a while, she asked carefully, "Tony and Marcus?""Was it that obvious?" Sierra felt torn. Part of her thought their backgrounds were a little complicated. Another part worried that doubting them might hurt them.Anna answered honestly. "No, it wasn't."Sierra let out a small breath. "That's good.""What are you suspicious about?" Anna asked. She did not know what had happened between them. After coming back, she handed everything over to her daughter.Sierra told her about her doubts and everything she had noticed.
Sierra picked up her phone and went back to the work messages she had not finished answering. After wrapping things up with the product manager and technical director, she looked at Marcus and Tony again.Over the past two days, she had received the files on both of them. Everything looked clean and it showed that they were just two ordinary people looking for work. But after spending this much time with them, the way they saw things and the calm way they handled everything still made her suspicious about who they really were.Marcus was so calm he almost seemed like an android, while Tony knew so much that he felt like a walking encyclopedia."Tony." Sierra decided to test him again."You rang, miss?" Tony had a way with words that made everything sound like a drama."You said earlier that ninety-five percent of the way Daniel looked at me was about benefits," Sierra said. "How could you tell? Say whatever that's in your mind."Tony glanced at the man in the passenger seat. "M
"We still don't know," Tony said to Sierra back in the car. "But from now on, don't take anything Daniel said too seriously.""Agreed," Marcus said.If even Marcus agreed, Sierra answered without hesitation. "Alright.""You trust us that much?" Tony was a little surprised she had not even stopped to think about their assessment. "Aren't you worried we're simply making things up to stop you from getting rich?""You might," Sierra said. Now that he had been around for a while, she could joke with him too. "But Marcus wouldn't."Marcus looked pleased and he sat up a little straighter. He absolutely would not let his boss down."Not necessarily." Tony drove with easy confidence in his tone. "Haven't you noticed that in a lot of movies, the real mastermind is always the one who seems harmless at first? The one nobody suspects?""That's in movies," Sierra said."Real life can be more dramatic than movies," Tony said."Then you must be the villain," Sierra continued.Tony blinked.
John reached out and took the glass from Sierra's hand.She instinctively drew back. "What are you doing?""I want to check whether it is wine or plain water you just switched in," John said.His warm fingertips brushed against her slender hand as he closed over the glass. The brief contact made
"You serious?" Kenneth asked John, keeping his voice low.John headed toward the neighboring private room, leaving behind words cold enough to send chills down Kenneth's spine. "Do I look like I'm joking?"Kenneth grinned. "Fine, I'll work on it now." He was more than willing to put some work in
Sierra's mood had never been better after she calculated the cost quietly in her mind. She knew she was under a lot of pressure and she was exhausted, but she was reaching the light at the end of the tunnel."I'll keep a close eye on things here at the hospital," Dr. Smith said, pushing down his ow
Ruthless!That was completely ruthless!"You're not worried if Sierra will realize this?" Kenneth continued to gossip once he found his courage again. "She and Nicholas are really close."John did not answer. He understood Sierra's temperament better than anyone.She was the kind of person who w







