The Silent Bodyguard

Walls Around the Heart

The black luxury car moved smoothly through the busy streets of Manila, heading toward Lander Corporation’s main executive conference building.

Inside the car, the atmosphere was quiet.

Too quiet.Sophia Lander sat by the window, her eyes focused outside as the city passed by in blurred reflections of glass and steel.Her expression was calm again.But Ethan could sense something else behind it.Pain.Hidden behind a wall she had clearly built over time.In the front passenger seat, Ethan Cruz remained silent. As her newly assigned security guard, he knew his job was to observe, stay alert, and act only when necessary.But even someone as reserved as Ethan could feel the tension that still lingered after the encounter with Mark Corpus.The name alone seemed to carry a heavy weight.Finally, Sophia spoke.Her voice was cold again.“Don’t think too much about what you saw earlier.”Ethan turned slightly toward her.“Yes, Miss.”Sophia crossed her arms.“People always think they understand situations after seeing only a small part of the story.”Ethan nodded quietly.“I understand.”

Sophia looked at him suspiciously.“You don’t seem curious.”Ethan simply replied,

“Everyone has things they’d rather not explain.”

For a moment, Sophia stared at him.Then she looked away again.Inside her mind, a thought appeared.This man talks less than anyone I’ve ever met.But strangely…It didn’t annoy her.

A few minutes later, the car arrived at a tall modern building where Lander Corporation’s board members were already gathering for a meeting.

The driver parked near the entrance.Ethan stepped out first and opened the door for Sophia.As she walked toward the building, several executives greeted her respectfully.“Good morning, Miss Lander.”“Morning.”Her responses were short.

Professional.Emotionless.Ethan walked slightly behind her, scanning the surroundings carefully.

Inside the lobby, employees whispered when they saw them.“That must be her new guard.”

“Another one?”“How long do you think he’ll last?”

Ethan ignored the comments.They reached the conference room where the board meeting would take place.Ruth Garcia was already there, organizing documents.“Miss Lander, the board is ready.”Sophia nodded.Then she looked at Ethan.

“You stay outside.”“Yes, Miss.”Sophia entered the conference room.The doors closed.Ethan stood near the wall, watching the hallway quietly.

Minutes passed.Then suddenly the elevator doors opened.Four familiar faces stepped out.Ethan’s eyes widened slightly.Natasha Ramirez.Reymart Vale.And behind them…Rose Lopez and Jane Rivera.Natasha immediately noticed him.“Ethan?!”

Her voice echoed across the hallway.Ethan smiled faintly.“Natasha.”She quickly walked toward him, surprised.“What are you doing here?”Reymart followed, equally shocked.“Bro… are you serious right now?”Natasha looked at his uniform.

“You work here?”Ethan nodded.“I’m the new security guard.”Reymart burst out laughing.

“From janitor to bodyguard in one day?”Ethan shrugged slightly.“Something like that.”Natasha smiled proudly.“I knew you’d bounce back.”

Behind them, Rose crossed her arms as she looked Ethan up and down again.Her expression was filled with disbelief.“You’re working here now?”Jane smirked.“Looks like someone got lucky.”Rose spoke coldly.“This is a corporate building, Ethan. Not a cleaning company.”Ethan remained calm.“I know.”Rose scoffed.“Well don’t get too comfortable.”Jane added sarcastically,

“He’ll probably get fired tomorrow.”Natasha stepped forward immediately.“Can you two stop acting like that for once?”Rose rolled her eyes.

“We’re just telling the truth.”But before the argument could continue—The conference room doors suddenly opened.And Sophia Lander stepped out.The entire hallway fell silent.Her sharp eyes quickly scanned the group.They stopped on Ethan.Then moved to the others.“Is there a problem here?”Her voice was calm but powerful.

Natasha and Reymart straightened respectfully.

“Good morning, Miss Lander,” Natasha said.

Sophia nodded slightly.Rose stepped forward politely.“Good morning, Miss Lander.”Sophia looked at her briefly.Then she asked Ethan.

“You know them?”Ethan answered honestly.

“They’re my friends.”Sophia’s eyes narrowed slightly.“Friends?”Her gaze shifted toward Rose and Jane.Something about their expressions made her understand immediately.They didn’t respect him.Sophia crossed her arms.“If you’re here for job interviews, they’re on the 18th floor.”

Rose blinked.“Yes, Miss.”Sophia then looked at Ethan again.“Come with me.”Ethan nodded and followed her down the hallway.Behind them, Natasha whispered to Reymart,“Did she just defend Ethan?”Reymart nodded slowly.“Looks like it.”Rose frowned as she watched them walk away.

For some reason…She felt annoyed.Inside Sophia’s private office later that afternoon, Ethan stood near the door as Sophia reviewed documents on her desk.Finally, she spoke.“Those women earlier.”

Ethan looked at her.“Yes?”“They looked down on you.”Ethan shrugged.“I’m used to it.”Sophia leaned back in her chair.“That’s not a good thing.”Ethan didn’t respond.Sophia studied him carefully again.

“You never show anger.”Ethan answered calmly,

“Anger doesn’t change how people see you.”

Sophia looked out the window.Her voice quieter now.“I used to believe that too.”Ethan waited.

Then she continued.“But people betray you anyway.”The room became silent.

Mark Corpus’s face flashed through her mind.

Her first love.The man who destroyed her trust.

Sophia clenched her pen slightly.“I don’t trust people anymore.”Ethan spoke softly.“Trust isn’t easy.”Sophia looked at him.“And yet you trust me enough to work here.”Ethan smiled faintly.“I trust the opportunity.”For the first time…Sophia almost smiled.But she quickly hid it.Then she spoke again.“There’s something you should know.”

Ethan listened carefully.“Mark Corpus will not stay away.”Her eyes turned serious.“He’s not the type to accept rejection.”Ethan nodded.“I understand.”

Sophia leaned forward slightly.“If he causes trouble…”Her voice became cold.“You deal with it.”

Ethan met her gaze confidently.“Yes, Miss.”But outside the building…Inside a black luxury car parked across the street…Mark Corpus watched the Lander tower carefully.His phone was pressed against his ear.“Did you find out about the new security guard?”A voice answered from the other side.“Yes, sir. His name is Ethan Cruz.”Mark smirked.“A nobody.”He looked up toward Sophia’s office window.“Perfect.”Because in his mind…

A plan was already forming.And Ethan Cruz…

Had just become part of a dangerous game.

Manila, while sunlight reflected off the polished floor. Sophia walked toward her desk and placed a few documents down, clearly still thinking about the earlier encounter with Ethan’s friends.

Ethan remained standing near the door as usual.

Silent.Observant.Sophia sat down in her chair and leaned slightly back while studying him again.

For someone who had just been mocked by people he knew, Ethan showed almost no reaction.

That alone made him different from most people she had encountered.After a few seconds of silence, Sophia suddenly asked a question.“Do you know how to drive?”Ethan blinked once, slightly surprised by the unexpected question.“Yes, Miss.”

Sophia raised an eyebrow.“You do?”Ethan nodded calmly.“I used to drive delivery vans for a small logistics company before I worked as a janitor.”

Sophia tapped her fingers lightly on the desk as she thought.“Good.”She stood up and grabbed her car keys from the desk.“You’ll drive me starting tomorrow.”Ethan looked confused for a moment.

“Miss… what about your company driver?”

Sophia walked toward the door.“I don’t trust most drivers.”Then she stopped and looked back at him.

“But I trust people who stay calm under pressure.”

Ethan understood immediately.She was referring to what she saw earlier when he was being bullied.

He nodded respectfully.“I won’t disappoint you.”

Sophia stared at him for a moment longer.

Then she turned away and walked toward the door.

“We’ll see about that.”Ethan followed behind her again, maintaining a professional distance.

But inside Sophia’s mind, something had quietly changed.For the first time in a long time…She felt slightly curious about someone.And curiosity was dangerous.Especially for someone who had already built strong walls around her heart.