Eight Years as His Bodyguard

Chapter 4

When Stella stepped out and saw Ava standing in the courtyard, a flicker of irritation crossed her eyes. "Didn't I tell you to kneel? Who said you could get up?"

Stella had long known her fiancé in name and only kept a bodyguard as his lover.

She'd come today to establish her authority. Otherwise, after marriage, wouldn't she be walked all over by this woman?

Yet the instant she gave the command, Ava disobeyed. This was nothing short of a direct insult.

The thought made Stella's temper flare.

Swaying her hips, she advanced. "I said, kneel—ah!"

Before she could finish, her foot caught on something, sending her sprawling into the burning coals beside Ava.

Watching Stella shriek in panic, her costume now singed with holes, Ava smirked with vindication.

But before her smile could fade, Eric roughly shoved her aside.

Already struggling to stand, Ava crashed forehead-first into the iron gate's latch.

Blood immediately gushed from her brow, clouding her vision with red. The sensation of impending death washed over her.

Ava clenched her fists until her knuckles whitened.

No! She couldn't die yet.

Daniel's wrongful accusations were about to be overturned. She had to survive to see that day!

As blood continued pouring, Ava desperately grabbed someone's pant leg. "Call an ambulance..."

Before she could finish, a kick sent her sprawling. Blinking through the blood, she saw who stood before her.

Eric cradled Stella, sparing Ava only a look of utter disdain and cold words. "Ava, you could bully those other women all you wanted. But Stella is untouchable."

His voice was flat. "Since you can't learn, I'll teach you. You're so good at following orders, right? Then follow this one: run to the hospital."

Ava understood his meaning and turned desperately toward the courtyard. "Sarah—"

Her plea was cut short by a sharp command. "If she's got one breath left in her body, no one calls an ambulance. Anyone who does can get the hell out of my house!"

The courtyard cleared out like startled birds at his roar.

Eric's form dissolved before her eyes.

An overwhelming helplessness washed over Ava as she forced herself upright. But with injured knees and severe blood loss, even if she had the strength of ten men, she was spent.

Yet she couldn't die. Not when Daniel was about to see justice served. She couldn't let everything turn to ashes because of her.

Somehow, through sheer will, Ava found herself standing.

Staggering forward, her mind flooded with memories from those seven years.

In the slave camp, she'd been nameless, just a number.

Until Daniel named her Ava. Suddenly, she had a home, an identity, a guardian. No more fighting other slaves for scraps until she was half-dead, just to eat pig slop.

She remembered her first birthday gift at his store. He'd designed a custom tattoo, just for her.

"Look, kid." he'd said. "Now you've got something to show off. Cooler than anyone else's."

She remembered how, at fifteen, when she'd begged to have his name tattooed on her, he'd refused.

That night, he lectured her all night about the consequences of getting a tattoo, but when she said she'd refuse to eat, he sighed and inked it onto her wrist.

Now, that tattoo had long been removed, leaving only ghostly traces behind.

She remembered how, when she first got her period, Daniel's ears flushed red with embarrassment, yet he forced himself to stay calm as he walked her through it all.

She also remembered how, at seventeen, when she announced she wanted to marry him, he solemnly told her it was wrong, even closing the store for three days to teach her right from wrong.

She hadn't listened. He was only eight years older. Why shouldn't she love him?

She still remembered how, when the tattoo business took off, he said he wanted a new signboard, adding the character "A" after "D."

The sign never arrived. He never came back.

She remembered waiting for him at the school gate, clutching the gift she'd prepared. Then the shouting started.

"Car accident!"

"Oh god, it exploded!"

"That car looks familiar. I think I've seen it at the school entrance before."

Then the porcelain slipped from her hands and shattered, leaving only the sound of her ragged breaths.

Now, as she thought back, that deafening buzz and the ground swaying beneath her felt as vivid as if it were happening again.

At that moment, Ava couldn't tell whether there was more blood or tears on her face.

She still wanted to live, but she couldn't hold on any longer.

Through the haze, a figure appeared. White shirt. Black trousers. Running toward her.

"Daniel. Is that you?"