The rest of the afternoon went by like a blur. The dance show, the martial arts exhibition, the attention and the recognition from the young Miss. Travis was literally on cloud 9.
After speaking with the martial arts crew Travis was finally allowed to go. Outside was already getting dark and the students were packing up their booths. He pulled out his phone but discovered it had gone off.
Travis looked around for a bit, looking for a place with his kind of charger and with luck on his side, the young Miss. After finding a janitor to help charge his phone, Travis continued his search for his young miss.
But after walking around for a few hours, Travis found out that the Miss had left without him. How was he supposed to get home, it was already dark, he was really hungry and most of all…
Brrr!!!
The wind howled outside the Harrington estate, rattling the windows and sending sharp gusts of cold air sweeping across the property. Inside, the usually pristine mansion felt dark and foreboding.
The lighting was dim, casting long shadows that made the grand hallways seem more claustrophobic than ever. The storm had rolled in quickly, catching everyone off guard, and now the relentless rain poured down like an uninvited guest that refused to leave.
The storm outside was nothing compared to the growing tension inside the mansion.
Penelope paced restlessly by the large bay window in the living room, her eyes constantly darting to the gate outside. It had been five hours since anyone had heard from Travis, and the sudden typhoon only added to her concern. Her usually calm demeanor was slipping; she was no longer the confident, playful woman the guards knew. Right now, she was worried, more than she cared to admit.
It wasn't just the storm or the fact that Travis hadn't checked in. There was something else gnawing at her. The guilt that had settled deep in her chest since earlier that day, when they had all taken part in a charade to let Amanda have her freedom, weighed heavily on her. Travis had run himself ragged searching the entire campus for someone who hadn't even been missing in the first place. It wasn't fair to him.
Her stomach twisted as she imagined him out there in the pouring rain, alone.
Occasionally, Travis would stop by to check on her, his face set in an unreadable mask. He had already heard what had happened from Penelope, and while he hadn't said much, his silence spoke volumes. Levi was a man of few words, but Penelope knew him well enough to recognize his disappointment.
"I just wanted her to have some space," Penelope muttered under her breath, her voice barely audible over the storm.
Levi, standing nearby, heard her. He didn't look at her as he replied, "You were too soft on her. You know Amanda, Pen. She pushes the boundaries whenever she can. Now Travis's out there, and we have no idea where he is."
Penelope clenched her fists, her fingers digging into her palms. "I know," she admitted, her voice tight. "I know this is my fault. I should have taken it more seriously. I should have made sure—"
Before she could finish, the sound of the front gates creaking open caught her attention. Her heart leapt into her throat as she rushed toward the window, her eyes straining to see through the heavy rain.
A figure was stumbling through the downpour, barely able to stay upright against the fierce winds. His clothes were soaked, clinging to his body, and he looked like he was struggling to keep moving.
It was Travis.
Without thinking, Penelope dashed out of the room, racing toward the front door. The other guards stationed in the security quarters saw him too and hurried after her. By the time Penelope reached the front yard, Travis had collapsed just inside the gates, his body sprawled across the rain-soaked ground.
"Travis!" Penelope shouted, her voice drowned out by the storm. She reached him first, kneeling by his side, her heart pounding as she checked for a pulse.
His skin was icy cold to the touch, and his breaths were shallow and labored.
"Help me!" Penelope called to the other guards as they rushed to her side. Together, they lifted Travis's limp form and carried him quickly toward the mansion.
As they moved through the rain, Penelope couldn't shake the crushing sense of guilt that consumed her. This was her fault. She had let things get out of hand. She had been so focused on giving Amanda what she wanted that she had neglected to think about what Travis needed. And now, here he was—soaked to the bone, unconscious, and possibly worse.
They reached the mansion, and Penelope barked orders to the other guards. "Take him to the infirmary. Get the doctor. Now!"
The guards rushed ahead, carrying Travis through the long hallways as Penelope followed closely behind, her heart pounding in her chest. She could feel the weight of Levi's gaze on her, but she didn't dare look at him. Not now. Not when she was barely holding it together.
When they reached the infirmary, the doctor was already waiting. He had been called as soon as they saw Travis collapse, and now he moved swiftly to assess the situation. The guards gently placed Travis on the bed, and the doctor began to work, checking his vitals, taking his cloths off and wrapping him in a thermal blanket to bring his body temperature back up.
Penelope stood at the foot of the bed, watching as the doctor worked, her hands trembling. She couldn't take her eyes off Travis's pale face, the dark circles under his eyes, the way his chest rose and fell in shallow, uneven breaths.
She had never felt this kind of responsibility before. Yes, she had been in dangerous situations—life-and-death situations even—but this was different. This wasn't a mission gone wrong. This wasn't something out of her control. She had made a choice, and now Travis was paying the price for it.
As the doctor continued to monitor Travis, Penelope turned away, her stomach churning with nausea. She rushed out of the room, barely making it to the nearest restroom before she was sick.
Levi followed her, standing silently by the door as she composed herself. After a long moment, she stood up, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. She turned to face Levi, her face pale and strained.
"I... I didn't think it would go this far," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Levi regarded her with a mixture of sympathy and disappointment. "It's not all your fault, Pen," he said quietly. "Travis chose this for himself. But you need to remember—we're not just here to keep Amanda happy. We're here to keep her safe. That includes making sure the people protecting her are in the right state of mind."
Penelope swallowed hard, nodding. "I know. I won't let it happen again."
"You'd better not," Levi replied, his tone gentler now. "For your sake, and for his."
Penelope left the restroom, feeling both relieved and heavy with responsibility. She couldn't undo what had happened, but she could make sure it didn't happen again. As she made her way back to the infirmary, she took a deep breath, determined to do whatever it took to make things right.
When she re-entered the room, the doctor gave her a reassuring nod. "He's stable for now, but he'll need to rest for a while. If he pushes himself too hard again, he could collapse."
Penelope sat down beside Travis's bed, her heart heavy. "I'll take care of him," she said quietly. "I'll make sure he's okay."
The doctor nodded and left the room, leaving Penelope alone with Travis. She sat there for hours, watching over him as he slept, her mind racing with thoughts of everything that had happened. She replayed the day over and over in her head, thinking of all the ways she could have done things differently.
But regrets wouldn't help Travis now. All she could do was be there for him, to make sure he recovered.
---
Meanwhile, in the main mansion, the chairman sat behind his desk, going over the latest reports from his company's legal team. The recent merger negotiations were proving more complicated than expected, but his mind wasn't entirely focused on the papers in front of him. He had been thinking about Travis—the boy from the mountains—ever since he had assigned him to Amanda's protection.
The Chairman's phone buzzed, and he picked it up, glancing at the message. It was from Levi, detailing what had happened earlier that day and how Travis was now in the infirmary.
The Chairman sighed, running a hand through his hair. He had taken a risk by bringing Travis into the fold, and now he wasn't sure if it was paying off. Travis was supposed to be different—unconnected, untouchable. But so far, things hadn't gone according to plan.
A knock on the door broke his train of thought.
"Come in," The chairman called, his voice weary.
Levi entered, his expression grim. "I thought you'd want an update."
Gregory leaned back in his chair, folding his arms. "How is he?"
"Stable. The doctor says he'll need to rest for a few days, but he'll recover."
Gregory nodded slowly, his gaze distant. "Good. And Amanda ? Where is she?"
"Back in her room," Levi replied. "She's... upset. I don't think she fully understands the consequences of what happened today."
Gregory's jaw tightened. "She never does. She's too used to getting what she wants without thinking about the cost."
There was a long silence as both men stood in the dimly lit office, the storm raging outside like a mirror to the tension inside.
"Do you think I made a mistake, Levi?" Gregory asked quietly. "Bringing Travis here. Do you think he's up to the task?"
Levi considered his answer carefully. "He's capable. More than capable, actually. But... he's still adjusting. He needs time."
"Time isn't something we have," Gregory muttered, his voice thick with frustration. "The threats are getting more serious, and Amanda's recklessness isn't helping."
Levi nodded. "I understand. But Travis is different. He's not like the others. If anyone can handle Amanda, it's him."
Gregory let out a deep breath, rubbing his temples. "I hope you're right, Levi. I really do." Levi gave a small bow. "I'll keep you updated."
As he left the office, The chairman stared out the window, watching as the rain lashed against the glass. The storm outside was a reminder that no matter how much power or control he had, there were forces beyond his command. Forces that could sweep away everything he had worked so hard to protect.
He could only hope that Travis, despite everything, was strong enough to weather the storm.
---
Back in the infirmary, Penelope remained by Travis's bedside, watching him closely as he slept. The storm outside continued to rage, but inside, there was a strange sense of calm—a quiet determination that filled the air.
She wasn't going to let him go through this alone. Not anymore.