Chapter 1

Artemis' POV

"There was an attack at the airport with President Leonard Zelo Cañete inside the plane. The plane landed after he came from America at seven o'clock in the morning. He is said to be with his family when the attack happened." I immediately got close to the television so Seb looked at me. My attention was already glued in front of me. 

"Why?" Seb curiously looks at me.

“He's with my son, Seb!” I said, still looking at the blurred boy who passed by from the plane.

"Huh? How did you know? They didn't even show his face," she said to me but when she saw that I was serious, she stopped teasing.

"What do you plan to do now? Will you finally take him back?” she asked me. She didn't need to ask because that was the plan but fuck Zelo, I don't know if he knew that I was spying or what but when I was about to take our child 4 years ago, he brought Hades to America.

I tried to go to America with the help of Seb, the Mayor of Cebu now, but I did not succeed. They have a lot of guards. I almost got caught once when I went to an event for my son. They are also staying in America secretly. I don't know if I should be grateful to Zelo because I know he also has many enemies and he is protecting my son or if I should be mad because he knows very well how I do action in secret so he is on guard.

"I'll wait what will happen for now," I said but I was restless and wanted to take the child.

It was really a good decision to work for Seb. She's also giving me that secret information from the politicians. I've been her bodyguard for 4 years since that night on the ship. Her father, a governor in Cebu at that time, wanted to marry her off to one of his close friends. That dirty friend of his even tried to molest Seb. I didn't kill him but well, he can't use his hands now. Enough for him to learn from his lesson.

He didn't know that Seb and I had planned it, I work in a shadow and that's when I easily do that. Because he has a lot of enemies, he doesn't know who did that to him. 

"Due to what happened in the airport, Mister President is hiring bodyguards," Seb said, looking at me.

"I'll resign being your bodyguard then," I said so she immediately winced at me.

"Immediately? Won't you even think twice? As if we didn't stay together for almost 4 years, huh?" she complained to me so I couldn't help but laugh.

"Once I get my son, I'll come back immediately as your guard," I said, making her nod at me.

"As you should." She adjusted her glasses before handing me the documents she made. It's my resume telling me that I worked for her for years. It's not really difficult to fake it because of my brother, Ares.

We already plan these alternatives many times. I just didn't do it because I know that my child is in another country. Until just yesterday, Hades hadn't stepped foot in the Philippines.

And now, here I am fixing all my things while planning to get my son back.

"You are going to Manila, Mama? When will you go back to me though?" my daughter, Athena, asked as she handed over the things I was going to bring with me in Manila. I smiled at her slightly. Hades and Athena are twins. When we ran away, my brother, Ares, with the codename Leo, took her. We meet up again and live in Cebu but she knows that she has a twin brother.  

"I'll be back with your twin, Athena... You'll be a good girl while Mommy is gone, right, Baby?" I gently asked her, she nodded at me.

"I'll be a good girl, Mama. Don't worry about me," she said before fixing her glasses. I stared at my child. She looks like the mini version of her father. She really got her father's cat eyes and even inherited her intelligence from him. Her freckles and curly hair, she also got it from him.

"Mama promises you that we'll be happier once we finally live with your brother," I said, smiling at her. She nodded before giving back the smile from my face.

"I'll wait for the two of you, Mama..." I just kissed her on her forehead.

"I love you, Athena..." I whispered to her. This kid is really a genius by her age. She really suits her name.

She just watched me while asking if she can train jiu-jitsu once I'm gone. She knows that I'm Seb's bodyguard, her Auntie. Seb and Ares just got married 2 years ago.

My daughter didn't really know the nature of my work before I met Seb. The big bosses from Tigers would like someone to be killed when they got annoyed with someone but Seb is different, she's just a chill politician, and she just likes to tease them rather than kill. I genuinely like working with her.

"We decided to learn that together though? You said you wanted to learn from Mommy?” I asked Athena softly. She already knows some martial arts moves. I let her learn. It wasn't because I wanted her to enter the dangerous type of life but because she likes it and maybe I was anxious too. Even though years already passed by, I felt like they were still hunting us. It's not like I won't protect my daughter, I just want her to know the basics too.

"Hmm, please, Mommy... so I won't be so sad when you leave... I'll miss you..." she said to me softly.

"It's not as if Mommy will stay there for so long, Baby... but alright, just always remember that you can't use the things that you'll learn to do something evil, okay?" She excitedly nodded at me because of that. Our conversation ended when she felt sleepy. I just kissed her forehead. 

But I doubt if this will just take me for weeks or two. I know Zelo too well. I should really be careful if I want it to end quickly.

"What if I just bring Athena with me in Manila?" I asked my brother when I went outside.

"What you're going to do is dangerous, Artemis, you think your ex will stand still when he finds out that his son, Hades, is missing?" I sighed there. I was also uneasy when it came to Athena and felt like I won't be able to meet my son. I felt like things will just really become messy however, I'll risk it. 

"Just focus on getting your son. As if we're going to leave Athena here," he said, shaking his head.

"You really think he won't know that it is me?" I asked. I don't even know why I'm getting nervous when it hasn't started yet. I sighed. I used to not think about things and just always do the work but it looks like I'm getting weaker now. 

"Yeah, you look so different now compared to the first time we met. You have gray eyes with gray hair and piercings on the lips at that time. Well, I always take you with me to some events and no one seems to know you," Seb said this time, making me nod. That's true. Maybe it helped that the tigers didn't know much about my face, they only knew that I had gray hair and gray eyes. But now all of that is already black.

And just like that, I was already holding my resume while looking at the grand building where the interview for the bodyguards will begin. I'm not Artemis right now. I'll just be Ain Bartolome.

My face was serious when I got inside, it looked like the candidates for the bodyguard of the President had already been filtered because there were less than ten of us inside.

I observed everyone there, they all look professional. Of course, they are. I just really pray that Zelo is not the one to interview me. But I doubt if that guy remembers me. 

I shrugged my shoulders before standing up from my seat when my name got called.

I will be the last to be interviewed. I simply looked at the CCTVs inside but still, I acted like I didn't see it. I already thought of some way in case I get caught. Still, I was hoping that I could enter Palais as Zelo's bodyguard.

The interview was so easy but they looked like they were interested in my answer.

"Not bad answer, Miss Bartolome," one of the men who interviewed me said with a smile as I exited this luxurious room. Juan Cloud Rivera, one of the cabinet secretaries of the president. I looked at it formally and smiled slightly. I was about to leave the room when I almost held my breath, the man I didn't want to see in today's interview entered.

He looks so different now. His face is more formal compared to when I was still trying to get his attention. Maybe the air is really different in Palais. His body also grew and my lips parted slightly when I saw the wound on his arm and those deep scars on his shoulders.

"Mister President!" The panel of interviewers stood up in shock when they saw Zelo. I can't believe that the guy in front of me is really the President of the Philippines. He was just a law student when we first met.

"What are you still doing here, Miss Bartolome? Aren't you aware that one of the characteristics of a bodyguard is giving her employer privacy? You can watch from afar," said a woman, Rhealyn De Guzman.

Zelo looked at me for a second. I immediately met his cold gaze. I calm myself down. You can't act like you are affected by his stare, Artemis. Today, you are just a bodyguard who wanted to do her best to become his employee.

My heart is beating fast. I don't know if it's because it's been a while since I last had a mission or because the man in front of me still has a strong effect on my system.

"Your interview is done, you may go." His voice is still as cold as snow.

"Have a nice day, Mister President. I hope to work with you." I was formal but I saw him smirk. I don't know what that smirk means. Is that because he won't see me again or did he know that it's me? I overthink about that even after I get out of the place. Maybe I was just overthinking about it.

I waited for the result for how many days until I received a message that I'm finally one of his bodyguards. I got to train for 2 weeks after that too and now I'm really going to be Zelo's bodyguard.

The three of us, Onda and Welsey, have already lined up because we are waiting for Zelo to enter the Palais.

I was just staring at the room and the CCTVs, my brain can't really rest when I don't have anything to do and this suspense is killing me already. I was already planning my escape while looking at the place. It's more difficult now because Zelo definitely has more people around.

I straightened my back when Zelo approached us. The two guards greeted Zelo while they remained looking down because that was the order the trainer gave us. Treat the president with respect, no eye contact at all, unless it's needed. As if we were going to serve a king with a lot of rules they told us.

"Good morning too. No need for an introduction. All you have to do is protect," he said so my companions immediately responded.

"Yes, Sir," they said in chorus. I saw Zelo's walking towards me until he was already in front. 

"Do you understand?" he asked, making my heart beat faster. I don't even know the reason why. Is it because of his cold and raspy voice? I don't know. 

"Yes, Mr. President," I answered.

"I'm sorry, Sir, Ain seems to be a bit intimidated," Welsey said, who couldn't hold back talking. He was skilled but his mouth is just really something.

I breathed a sigh of relief when I got out of Zelo's office. Looks like this will be really easy, huh? He didn't know that it was me. What I need to do now is to find where Hades' room is.

The president will not come out today so we have positions to guard him around the Palais. I know that there's really a lot of CCTV here so I looked at my two colleagues.

"I really need to pee. I'll try to find the bathroom first," I said. They kept looking at me as if measuring if I was telling the truth but in the end, they just nodded at me.

I'll make this a reason to somehow escape their eyes for a few minutes. I know how gold minutes are. For a former assassin like me, even a second is already enough.

I was acting like I was looking for the bathroom but the truth is I already memorized it through the map that my brother gave me.

I found a spot without CCTV, I put a recorder behind one of the mirrors. When I put it back in its original order, I was slightly surprised to see the sharp eyes I met from the reflection of the mirror. My lips parted when I saw Zelo with a feral grin on his lips.

"You really think that I can't recognize you, huh?" he said while pointing the gun he was holding at me. I can clearly see the anger in his eyes as he looks directly at me from the mirror.