It took them a little bit more than two hours to fly from Chicago to New York. The flight had been uneventful, just a quiet stretch of sky filled with steady engine hum and the occasional clink of beverage carts. As they waited near the baggage carousel, the loudspeakers overhead announcing arrivals and transfers in multiple languages, Hendrix turned to her with a firm expression.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz8p7ZZdG67
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“They want to see you immediately,” he said, not bothering to hide the seriousness in his voice.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbLYuDxMvWX
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“Yes, sir,” Valentina replied without hesitation, her fingers already moving to switch on her phone.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWt5tiwBQDk
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Roger had made sure she understood how to use it well, taking time to explain each application, how to keep it charged, and most importantly, how to keep it on her at all times. But airplane rules were strict—she had powered it down during the flight like everyone else.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrCBuKVIzN4
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Her duffel bag, too large for the overhead compartment, had been stowed away in the plane’s cargo hold. She waited quietly beside Hendrix until it arrived, the worn green canvas marked with patches from countries most civilians had only seen in the news. The moment she spotted it, she grabbed the strap and followed Hendrix outside to the waiting car.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsK1UJoL2Wr
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“We’ll stop by your dormitory first,” Hendrix explained once they were seated inside the vehicle. “Drop your bag, and then we go straight to the Romano estate.”56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBgK8Op304L
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“Aye, sir.” Her response was crisp, automatic. She didn’t ask questions, didn’t need to. She simply stared out of the window as the car moved through the rain-slicked streets of Manhattan.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ795fW0RG1x
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The dormitory for the bodyguard duty is located only a block from the Romano's manor, a simple three-story building with many single rooms. There is one bathroom for three rooms, and every room is equipped with an air conditioner, a heater, a single bed, a cupboard, a small kitchen corner with an old sink, and a table.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAFh5yBLYIK
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Her room is far better than the one in the military camp or mercenary camp. She smiled, admiring her new room and putting the duffel bag on the bed. She locked the door on her way out and quickly got inside the car.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbSeSsgvKQO
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The city pulsed with energy even at this late hour. It was just past 9 p.m., and December’s early nightfall had already turned the skyline into a constellation of neon lights and towering silhouettes.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWE8gBYC6f6
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Raindrops danced across the car’s windows, blurring the streetlights and storefronts into watercolor streaks. Despite the traffic, the chaos of honking horns, and the constant buzz of urban life, Valentina sat quietly. Her eyes traced the shifting lights and unfamiliar buildings with calm detachment.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3cXGDbNf5r
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To her, this city, this loud, messy, vibrant city, is  really peaceful. There were no air raid sirens, no mortar shells, no children screaming in the distance. No smoke rising from burning rooftops. No blood-soaked streets. She watched a street performer juggling fire under an overpass and found herself thinking, No one is dying here tonight. No one is hiding in the dark.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpry3XC2vBk
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“What are you thinking?” Hendrix asked, breaking the silence between them.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiwHeyr5jXY
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Valentina didn’t turn her head. Her voice was quiet. “It’s so peaceful here.”56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKW3FKjwTp6
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Hendrix blinked, turning to look out the same window. A woman was yelling at a taxi driver on the sidewalk. A couple argued loudly by a bus stop. Traffic blared in all directions, horns and voices tangling in an impatient orchestra of urban frustration. He raised an eyebrow, baffled. “Peaceful?”56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBBjYtH514M
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She didn’t respond. She didn’t need to explain. Peace was relative. And Roger already told her that it would be better if no one knows about her background or where she come from.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ80vXQzlBK
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Twenty minutes later, they arrived at the Romano estate, tucked into a gated corner of Manhattan that somehow felt older than the city around it. The moment their vehicle approached the wrought-iron gate, another uniformed guard—dressed identically to both her and Hendrix—stepped forward to verify their identities before waving them in.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEmXqZ5ZPJh
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Most first-time visitors were stunned by the sheer grandeur of the estate. The Romano manor stood like something out of a forgotten time, its towering gothic architecture looming against the dark sky. Black spires and pointed arches defined its silhouette, with intricate iron railings and stone gargoyles perched like watchful sentries along the rooftop.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJlM0xJwPfo
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The building was the centerpiece of over 3,000 acres of land—an astonishing amount of space in the heart of Manhattan—complete with dense trees, a private lake, and walking paths lit by antique lanterns. It was both beautiful and foreboding, a monument to old wealth and quiet power.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpmsn921STC
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"Why isn’t there a dormitory for workers on this enormous estate?" she asked, genuinely curious as her eyes swept across the vast grounds.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuEEdKlhCiT
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Hendrix gave a small nod, as if he had been expecting the question. “Only those who are fully trusted are allowed to live inside the manor. The new hires—what we call the outer ring—stay off the premises until they've proven themselves.”56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtFhSeQGOFY
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Valentina simply nodded at the answer and back staring at the sight. She observed the details—tall windows, the steep rooflines, the slick shine of rain on old stone—but said nothing. No wide eyes. No admiration. Just silent acknowledgement.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOTuBFIXkXH
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A sharply dressed man greeted them at the front steps, his demeanor formal but respectful. His salt-and-pepper hair was slicked neatly back, and his voice carried the authority of someone who had worked in the household for many years. “Mr. Romano is expecting you. Please, follow me.”56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQdoRcrTdgM
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They were led inside, past heavy wooden doors carved with intricate patterns. The interior was dim and warm, lit by chandeliers and wall sconces that gave off a soft amber glow. The air smelled faintly of old books and cedarwood.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡscQ2bfTJyY
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They were ushered into a large office lined with tall shelves overflowing with books, leather-bound and dusted with age. A thick carpet muffled their steps, and the walls were adorned with oil paintings and antique weapons. Two men, both tall and muscular, stood guard near the entryway, their gazes sharp and unwavering.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNTPylGdTRR
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Behind a massive oak desk, in a high-backed chair, sat the man they had come to see. Mr. Romano did not rise. He did not need to. His presence filled the room before he even spoke. He glanced up from a folder laid open on his desk and gestured for them to come closer.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAAbStbyV8W
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Valentina straightened her back the moment she stepped into the room. Her hands moved instinctively behind her back, her posture firm, her chin slightly raised—not in arrogance, but in discipline. Her eyes, sharp and focused, swept across the room for a second before landing respectfully on the man behind the large oak desk. She didn’t let them linger. She knew better than to make direct eye contact unless instructed.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ60atJuMmcI
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Hendrix stepped forward, placing himself slightly in front of her, acting as both her guide and shield. His voice was calm and steady as he offered a formal greeting, “Evening, sir.”56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO3m3nLfN8l
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The man at the desk looked up from the swirling amber liquid in his crystal glass. His salt-and-pepper hair was neatly combed, his tailored suit creased in all the right places. Despite the relaxed appearance, the intensity in his eyes was unmistakable—this was a man used to power, and even more used to being obeyed.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuZEkyp3CA5
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“Ah, Peterson. Finally. I’ve been waiting for weeks,” he said with a tone that was both amused and impatient. He lifted the glass to his lips and downed the remaining whiskey in a single, practiced motion. Then he motioned with the glass. “Is she the one?”56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGFaWiDYbzQ
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“Yes, sir,” Hendrix confirmed with a small nod.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtMqtqSR17J
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The man—clearly Mr. Romano himself—set the glass aside and reached for the decanter, filling it again, the sound of the pour a brief, elegant interruption. “Is it true then?” he asked, tilting the decanter slightly before placing it back. “About the news? That she lasted an hour with you?”56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3qUIsWHNEf
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“It’s true,” Hendrix replied, a note of pride in his voice. “We have the full recording, if you’d like to review it.”56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwpZsuyBUTH
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Mr. Romano waved a hand, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. “No need. I saw the footage just minutes ago. Impressive, to say the least.”56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB4EKN8GVc6
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“She’s the best,” Hendrix added, glancing at Valentina with the satisfaction of someone who had chosen wisely.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB9qmTYqvUr
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Romano leaned back in his chair, his eyes narrowing slightly as he took a moment to really look at her. He studied her face, her slight frame, her quiet poise. A woman like Valentina didn’t look dangerous at first glance. Her body was lean, her arms slender, and her features delicate. But there was something else beneath the surface—an edge in the way she stood so still, the way she didn’t fidget or blink too often. She looked older than her own age, but she stood like she belonged there.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbQfsAupgfC
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“And where did you find her?” he asked, almost to himself.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTncQST0ZeU
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“My friend Roger brought her in,” Hendrix answered without hesitation.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi7IDbOXWMm
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“Ah… the army man.” Romano’s gaze flicked briefly to the door. “Archie,” he called out, his voice raised only slightly, “bring my daughter. Bring Luiza.”56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYR7O7Pplty
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As he waited, he returned his attention to Valentina, his tone sharpening. “You’ll be responsible for my daughter. Protect her with your life. Make sure she is safe and sound at all times. Listen to what she says, and fulfill whatever she asks—within reason. The only thing you cannot agree to is if she tells you to leave her. That is the one request you must refuse. Is that understood?”56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUjOb2RgvJY
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“Yes, sir,” Valentina answered without hesitation. Her voice was steady, her eyes holding his for a moment before she gave a short, firm nod.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeBmOpm47c1
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Romano studied her again, and this time there was the faintest flicker of curiosity behind his calm expression. “You’re not going to ask why? Why I need someone like you to guard her? Why I’m telling you to follow her whims as if she were royalty?”56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4LVyenLrUl
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“You gave me an order,” Valentina said simply. “That’s what I follow.”56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4q3ZKD7kRt
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Romano let out a low chuckle, amused by her simplicity and absolute clarity. “And if I told you to kill someone in order to protect her… would you do it?”56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi8q8gg1AKi
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There was no pause, no flicker of emotion, not even the twitch of a muscle. “I would,” she replied.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsoqDEcCl2f
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Romano’s smile deepened—not out of joy, but satisfaction. Most of the women he’d interviewed for this kind of work faltered at that question. Some tried to dodge it, a few even flat-out refused. But not Valentina. She didn’t flinch.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡalf0xAHFkX
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He leaned back, the leather chair creaking softly beneath him. “Good. Then let’s see how long you last, Miss Smith.”56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqcuy02UxZr
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