2:A Bodyguard I Never Asked For

Chapter 2

A Bodyguard I Never Asked For

Lina had always believed her home was the one place where she was truly in control.

That illusion shattered the moment Aria Sutham walked into the Kornnaphat mansion carrying nothing but a black duffel bag.

The mansion overlooked the city from the highest hill, surrounded by towering iron gates, private gardens, and security that most government buildings would envy. It had been Lina’s home since childhood, yet tonight it felt strangely unfamiliar.

Every servant stood in two neat rows as Eleanor Kornnaphat entered first.

Behind her came Aria.

Her posture remained perfectly straight, her expression unreadable. She looked less like a guest and more like someone inspecting enemy territory.

Lina crossed her arms.

“I hope this doesn’t become permanent.”

“It won’t,” Eleanor replied calmly. “The moment the person behind this attack is caught, Captain Sutham will leave.”

Lina looked at Aria.

“And until then?”

“I keep you alive.”

Those four words irritated her far more than they should have.

Without another glance, Lina turned and climbed the grand staircase.

“My room is off limits.”

“I know.”

She stopped halfway up the stairs.

“You know?”

“I memorized the mansion blueprint before accepting the assignment.”

Lina stared at her.

“You what?”

Aria simply continued walking.

For the first time in years, someone had entered Lina’s world without asking permission.

She hated it.

…

An hour later, the mansion had fallen into silence.

Outside, rain began tapping gently against the floor to ceiling windows.

Inside her bedroom, Lina stood beside the balcony, replaying the events from the ballroom.

Someone had tried to kill her.

The thought refused to settle in her mind.

She had competitors.

She had jealous relatives.

She had business rivals.

But murder?

That crossed a line.

A soft knock interrupted her thoughts.

Before she could answer, the door opened.

Aria stepped inside carrying a tablet.

“I specifically said my room was off limits.”

“I knocked.”

“You entered before I answered.”

“You didn’t tell me to stay outside.”

Lina sighed.

“You enjoy arguing.”

“No.”

Aria placed the tablet on the coffee table.

“I enjoy efficiency.”

Lina glanced at the screen.

Several photographs appeared.

The ballroom.

Broken glass.

A damaged support cable from the chandelier.

A blurry image of a man wearing hotel staff uniform.

“The police recovered this.”

“What am I looking at?”

“The shooter escaped.”

Lina frowned.

“So we’re looking at suspects already?”

“No.”

Aria enlarged one of the photos.

“We’re looking at mistakes.”

Lina leaned closer.

“The cable.”

“It wasn’t cut.”

“What?”

“It was weakened days before tonight.”

Lina blinked.

“So this wasn’t planned today.”

“No.”

“It was planned much earlier.”

Silence filled the room.

Someone had been preparing for this.

Watching.

Waiting.

The realization sent an uncomfortable chill through her.

“Who told you all this?”

“I noticed it.”

“You noticed from a photograph?”

Aria nodded.

Lina studied her carefully.

She wasn’t showing off.

She wasn’t exaggerating.

She was simply stating facts.

Who exactly was this woman?

…

Later that evening, dinner was served in the mansion’s enormous dining hall.

Only three people sat around the twenty seat table.

Eleanor.

Lina.

Aria.

The atmosphere felt colder than the food.

Eleanor broke the silence.

“Captain Sutham has requested several changes.”

Lina looked up.

“What changes?”

“The security staff will rotate every six hours.”

“Fine.”

“Every employee will undergo another background check.”

“Fine.”

“No one enters this mansion without Captain Sutham’s approval.”

Lina placed her fork down.

“Excuse me?”

“It’s temporary.”

“It’s ridiculous.”

“It’s necessary.”

“My friends?”

“They’ll be verified.”

“My business partners?”

“They’ll be verified.”

“My board members?”

“They’ll wait outside until verified.”

Lina laughed in disbelief.

“This is my house.”

Aria calmly took a sip of water.

“Correct.”

“So stop acting like it’s yours.”

“I’m acting like it’s a crime scene.”

Eleanor hid a smile behind her glass.

Lina noticed.

“You’re enjoying this.”

“A little.”

Lina groaned.

“This is unbelievable.”

Aria finally looked directly at her.

“If someone wanted to kill you once, they’ll try again.”

Her voice remained calm.

Which somehow made the words even more frightening.

…

Near midnight, most of the lights inside the mansion had been switched off.

Lina couldn’t sleep.

She wandered downstairs toward the library, hoping a book might distract her.

Instead, she found Aria sitting alone.

A laptop rested on the table beside dozens of security files.

“You sleep?”

Lina asked.

“When necessary.”

“When was that?”

Aria checked her watch.

“Yesterday.”

Lina almost laughed.

“You’re serious.”

“Very.”

She continued reading.

Lina watched quietly.

There was something strangely lonely about Aria.

No unnecessary movements.

No wasted words.

No visible emotions.

Only focus.

“What made you become a bodyguard?”

Aria didn’t answer immediately.

Finally she closed one file.

“I failed someone once.”

The sentence surprised Lina.

“You?”

“Yes.”

“What happened?”

Aria looked toward the rain covered window.

“They died.”

Lina opened her mouth.

Before she could ask another question, Aria stood.

“That’s enough for tonight.”

She walked toward the hallway.

Lina watched her disappear around the corner.

For the first time, curiosity replaced annoyance.

Who had Aria lost?

And why did the memory still haunt her?

…

Elsewhere in the city.

A pair of gloved hands placed several photographs across a wooden desk.

Every photograph showed Lina.

Leaving meetings.

Entering hotels.

Standing beside her grandmother.

Attending charity events.

Someone had followed her for months.

A lighter clicked open.

One by one, the older photographs were burned.

Only the newest remained.

The image showed Lina standing beside Aria outside the hotel after the shooting.

The unknown figure stared at it for several long seconds.

Then smiled.

“So…”

A quiet voice echoed through the dark room.

“They’ve sent you.”

The photograph of Aria disappeared into a folder marked with a single handwritten word.

Obstacle.

The room fell silent once again.