Chapter 4

The next day, I stood in the CEO's office on the top-floor of Jackson Group, covered in bruises and with the corner of my mouth split.

Tina sat behind the broad desk, calmly examining me.

"I sent my last security chief into prison for stealing the company's trade secrets," she said, her voice cool and emotionless. "So, I need someone more reliable."

"I can do it," I answered. My voice was hoarse because my throat was sore, but my eyes were steady.

She did not seem surprised by my answer. She pushed a new contract in front of me, with the words "Chief Security Consultant" stamped in gold on the cover.

"The title stays the same," she said, "but your real job is to serve as my personal bodyguard. You will be present at every event I attend. Can you do that?"

I looked into her sharp eyes and nodded firmly. "Yes."

From then on, I became Tina's bodyguard. As her chief security consultant and personal bodyguard, I accompanied her to all kinds of business receptions and tense negotiations.

Every single time, we somehow ran into Joanna and Allen.

With the wedding date drawing closer, the marriage alliance between the Clarke family and the Jackson family never wavered, no matter how hard Joanna tried to split them up. The Clarke family's stance was unusually firm, and that made Joanna lose patience completely.

Joanna came to me again.

With gritted teeth, she said, "Morgan, you useless trash! It has been this long and there has been no progress at all! This is the invitation to the engagement banquet. At the banquet, find a way to put something in Tina's drink and take her to the innermost lounge on the third floor. I'll arrange the rest!"

A vicious light flickered in her eyes.

"You promised me this! And don't forget, I did save your life!"

I tightened my grip on the paper packet in my hand, and I could feel the powder inside shift beneath my fingers. I raised my head and nodded calmly as I met her crazed eyes.

The night of the engagement banquet soon arrived.

Joanna watched me stand behind Tina, her eyes full of confidence and malice. She could hardly wait to see Tina, the woman who had always outshone her, ruined in front of everyone.

Time passed second by second, and by the time the banquet was half over, the chaos she had imagined still had not happened.

Joanna could not hold it back anymore, and she pulled me into an inconspicuous corner of the banquet hall.

"Morgan." She lowered her voice, but she could not hide the anger and shrill edge in it. "How dare you make a fool of me! Where's the drug?! Why did you not do it?! You ingrate!"

I only looked at her calmly and said nothing.

Just as she was about to lash out again, Tina appeared on the stage with a microphone in hand.

"Thank you, everyone, for taking time out of your busy schedules to attend my engagement ceremony."

Her voice carried clearly through the high-end sound system and across the entire hall.

Joanna froze. For the moment, she could only swallow her anger and look toward the stage. She thought the drug might not have taken effect yet. If she waited a little longer, Tina would embarrass herself on stage.

Tina's gaze scanned the crowd before finding me. Then, she walked straight to me.

"This man is my fiance, the heir of the Clarke family."