Chapter 7 - Protection

Kania allowed the audio recording on her phone to continue playing. Although it was only Olivia’s whimpering and flirtatious dialogue, it was enough ammunition to destroy Arka’s image as an honorable man. Disgust crawled over her, yet she held her ground.

“Insane! They are actually doing it here, in the main living room,” Kania muttered, shifting her body to find a better vantage point.

She could clearly see Olivia giggling coyly and the strange man, whom she now suspected was Olivia’s kept lover. However, beneath the heated scene, Kania sensed an oddity. The security in that area was too relaxed, and the foreign man looked like an actor merely following a script, devoid of any genuine threatening aura. Arka would never allow anyone else to appear stronger within his own mansion. Something felt wrong.

Kania decided to search for Arka. If the man truly was inside, he would be in a more private space. She slipped through an old ventilation shaft toward the East Wing corridor—the area of Arka’s private office, which used to be perpetually locked. With skills gleaned from spy movies, Kania managed to open the office door without a sound.

The office was empty, neat, and cold. Too neat. "He's not here," Kania whispered.

As she turned, her eyes caught a small door hidden behind a large painting. The door led to the security monitoring room. If Arka was in the mansion, he would surely be watching from there. Kania pushed the painting aside and found a small iron door, surprisingly unlocked—another impossible anomaly in Arka's mansion. She heard a faint sound from within, as if someone had hurriedly vacated the room.

Do they know I'm here?

She crept in. The room was dominated by rows of monitors, now deserted, only just abandoned. However, on the main console table, a tablet lay illuminated and discarded. Amidst the chaos of monitors showing Olivia's performance, Kania's focus locked onto the tablet.

On the map, she saw the pin icon marking Arka’s location, which was far away, outside the city. But a new notification that just popped up in the corner of the screen made Kania hold her breath:

Message: The bait was successful. Let K.E. see it. Do not touch her.

"The bait?" Kania repeated the word, a chill spreading through her. Arka was setting a trap for her?

She rushed to the tablet, trying to photograph the message as proof. But in her haste, her hand mistakenly pressed an icon. Instantly, the map on the screen changed, displaying the mansion's layout in infrared and tracking mode. Right at Kania's position, a single red dot blinked.

Below the red dot, a label was clearly displayed, making all her questions about Olivia and the debt suddenly vanish.

PRIMARY TARGET: K.E. (Kania Eleanor) STATUS: MAXIMUM PROTECTION MODE

"What... what does this mean?" Kania froze, her phone slipping from her grasp. The man she thought was heartless enough to trap her, considered her a Protection Target?

Kania instantly snatched her phone from the floor, her heart pounding with panic. She had to leave immediately. The screenshot evidence on her phone changed everything, but she had no time to process it.

She bolted out, running down the service corridor towards the storage area, a route she believed would lead to the back exit. However, her escape route had been modified. The steel door was now sealed by an advanced biometric lock panel. She tried pulling it, pounding it, but the door wouldn't budge. She was trapped.

Right then, her phone began to vibrate violently, displaying a number she hadn't seen in a long time. Kania's instinct screamed that this was Arka.

Kania swiped the answer button with a trembling hand.

"Stop, Kania," Arka's voice was calm and cold. "You know you won't be able to get out of there."

"What do you want, Arka?! What do you mean by this 'protection mode'? Is this some new trap to drive me insane?" Kania exploded.

"Your Dad's debt that you paid was just a small lure," Arka explained. "The real debt is much larger, Kania. It involves an organization that is now targeting anyone connected to Mr. Eleanor. And you, as his former daughter-in-law, are the primary target."

"Then, that disgusting scene in the living room?"

"Yes," Arka replied, without hesitation. "I wanted you to stay away. I wanted you to hate me so you wouldn't be an easy target. I arranged everything to ensure you wouldn't be suspicious when I started operating behind your back. I have to work outside, Kania. Alone."

"I don't need your protection! I will face them myself!" Kania challenged.

"Don't be foolish!" Arka's voice rose for the first time. "They are stronger than you imagine! And now, they are closing in on your weakest point."

"You mean..."

"I'm giving you two choices, Kania," Arka cut her off sharply. "Option one: I send a team now and forcibly take you to a safe house. You will lose your freedom. Option two: You must call Mr. Eleanor right now and tell him you have reconciled with me. Continue the charade. The enemy will be convinced you are under my supervision."

"I refuse to go back to that charade!" Kania rejected fiercely.

Suddenly, Arka's voice on the phone shifted to an urgent shout, filled with stark panic. "They're there! Kania, they are near your Dad now!"

Kania froze. All her resentment instantly evaporated. There was only a choking fear for her Father.

With a shaking hand, Kania ended the call with Arka and immediately opened her contacts list. She found and pressed her Dad's number.

"Hello, Dad?" Kania said, her voice strained, filled with painful pretense. "I... I've talked to Arka. I'm coming back."

***

Arka let out a long sigh, allowing the weight on his chest to slightly lift. Yes, he truly might go insane if he had to continue letting Kania’s recklessness proceed unchecked.

“Sir, why did you lie? Ms. Olivia is actually—”

Bang! Arka slammed his fist on the table. “Vero! Are you tired of working with me?”

Vero, his loyal assistant, immediately fell silent. He looked down, unwilling to misstep again. He just couldn't understand why Arka had to be so good to everyone.

Arka returned to his chair, sipping his black coffee with a forced enjoyment. His face implied deep calculation. Mr. Eleanor would certainly be proud of him once he completed this mission.

“I never wanted to bind you in a situation like this. I have to clean up all this mess first, to ensure we can start properly, Kania,” he murmured, his voice barely audible. Arka sank into the silence.

His shoulders carried too heavy a burden, all faced alone. He fought fiercely to keep and protect the people he loved—not just his own family, but Kania's family too. And the charade involving Olivia was the sharpest thorn.

He had momentarily fallen for Olivia, just before the truth was revealed. That fleeting stupidity was now a chasm, making his relationship with Kania even more erratic.

“Sir,” Vero said, interrupting Arka's reverie. “Mr. Eleanor sent a message. He wants to meet with you as soon as possible.”

“Of course. Reply that I will go to him,” Arka answered firmly. His determination flared once more.