It had been a week since Travis was discharged from the infirmary, and though he had physically recovered, the memory of the events leading up to his collapse remained elusive. He had not been assigned any specific duties, nor was he part of the patrol shifts for now. Instead, he spent every waking hour either working out in the estate's gym or studying for the upcoming evaluation.
His test was scheduled for the following day, and although his body still felt the strain from the last ordeal, his mind was sharper than ever, focused on the task ahead. The gym was his haven, a place where he could clear his mind and center himself. At the moment, he was deep into his workout, finishing his 400th push-up when his phone buzzed loudly on the floor beside him.
Breathing heavily, Travis grabbed the towel hanging on the equipment nearby, wiping the sweat from his brow before picking up the call. Levi's voice came through, calm and direct as always.
"The chairman wants to see you. Now."
The line cut off abruptly, leaving Travis staring at the phone for a second before he stood, stretching out his stiff muscles. Levi was always like this—straight to the point, no extra words. Whatever the chairman wanted, Travis knew it had to be important. He'd learned by now that the chairman didn't waste time on unnecessary meetings.
Travis took a quick shower and changed into fresh clothes. He brushed his jet-black hair, now falling neatly into his usual curly perm. Once ready, he made his way to the main house, his steps steady but his mind racing with speculation.
As he neared the grand entrance, Travis couldn't help but notice the chairman's daughter, Amanda, in the driveway, once again throwing a tantrum. It had become a near-daily occurrence since their last encounter. She was, as usual, adamant about who should or shouldn't escort her to school. But today, her frustrations seemed to be aimed specifically at him.
"Travis!" she called, her voice shrill with irritation. "Why are you pretending not to hear me?"
Travis offered a respectful bow to the staff outside, choosing to ignore her outburst. He had no time for Amanda's theatrics right now—he was on his way to meet her father, and the last thing he needed was to get sidetracked by her whims.
He made his way through the estate, heading toward the familiar door of Gregory Harrington's office. The guards stationed there nodded curtly as he approached, one of them stepping inside to announce his arrival. Within seconds, the door opened, and Travis was ushered inside.
Gregory sat behind his imposing mahogany desk, looking as composed as ever, though a hint of weariness darkened his usually sharp eyes. He stood as Travis entered, gesturing for him to sit on the brown leather sofa across from the desk.
"Ah, Travis. Come in, come in," Gregory greeted, his tone unusually warm. As Travis sat down, Gregory moved from behind the desk and joined him on the couch. There was an air of casualness in his movements, though Travis knew better than to take it lightly. Gregory Harrington was a man who rarely did anything without purpose.
"I owe you an apology, Travis," Gregory began, his voice filled with unexpected sincerity. "I heard about your time in the infirmary, and I regret not checking in on you personally. You shouldn't have had to go through that."
Travis immediately shook his head, standing halfway to bow deeply. "Sir, you have nothing to apologize for. It was my fault for not taking better care of myself."
Gregory chuckled softly, waving off the formality. "No, no, sit down. There's no need for that. I also owe you an apology on behalf of my daughter. I hear Amanda was... well, let's say she was the reason for what happened."
Travis remained silent, unsure how to respond. He had yet to fully recover his memory of that day, but from what little he had pieced together, he knew Amanda had something to do with the stress that led to his collapse.
Gregory studied Travis's face for a moment before speaking again. "I see you're not quite sure what to make of all this. Perhaps your memory hasn't fully returned yet."
Travis hesitated, then nodded. "No, sir. I don't remember everything."
Gregory sighed and leaned back, his gaze distant for a moment. "I see. Well, let's leave that aside for now. I didn't ask you here to dwell on the past." He reached for a small black box sitting on the table between them and slid it toward Travis. "Consider this a token of my appreciation—and my apology."
Travis glanced at the box, then back at Gregory. He had a feeling this wasn't just a simple gift. The weight of what was being asked—or rather, not asked—hung heavily in the air.
"I appreciate the gesture, Chairman Harrington, but I must decline," Travis said softly, bowing his head slightly. "Neither you nor your daughter is to blame for what happened. I don't need compensation for doing my job."
Gregory let out a deep, hearty laugh, clearly amused by Travis's modesty. "You sound almost diplomatic while rejecting my gift. Very well. I'll keep it. But..." He leaned forward, his eyes gleaming with something far more serious. "I'll hold on to it under one condition."
Travis straightened in his seat, his full attention on the chairman.
"As a father, all I want is what's best for my daughter," Gregory began, his voice lowering. "I don't know if you're aware of this, but I once had a son. He's alive, though we've been estranged for years. I don't acknowledge him anymore." His voice took on a bitter edge, though he quickly pushed it aside. "All my energy has been poured into raising Amanda. And I fear I've spoiled her beyond reason."
Travis remained silent, allowing the chairman to continue.
"My daughter… she's a handful, to put it lightly," Gregory said, shaking his head. "And she's gotten other people hurt in the past, not just you. That's not the kind of leadership I want her to exhibit, especially not as someone who may one day inherit everything I've built."
Gregory paused for a long moment, his gaze locked on Travis's. "You, on the other hand—you're different. You're respectful, modest, obedient, disciplined. You embody everything I'd hoped to instil in Amanda, but somehow failed."
Travis's eyes widened, taken aback by the chairman's unexpected praise.
"So, here's my proposition," Gregory started, his tone dropping to a more serious note. "I want you to do more than protect my daughter. I want you to teach her. Train her. Make her a better person, someone worthy of the responsibilities she'll inherit one day."
Gregory leaned back, his expression calculating. "And when you succeed, I will grant you one wish. Anything you want—money, power, freedom, shares in my company, you name it. If you can dream it, I can provide it."
The weight of the offer hung in the air like a palpable force, pressing down on Travis's shoulders. He sat there, stunned. Of all the things he had imagined the chairman might ask of him, this was not one of them.
Gregory had raised a daughter who was, in Travis's eyes, difficult at best and spoiled at worst. Turning her into the kind of person Gregory described felt like an impossible task. But then there was the offer—one wish. A reward that could change his life.
What did he want? Money? Power? Freedom?
The truth was, Travis didn't know. He had spent his entire life in service—first at the monastery, then here, protecting the Harrington family. He had never stopped to think about what he wanted for himself.
Seeing the uncertainty on Travis's face, Gregory smiled knowingly. "It's a lot to take in, I know. And it might seem impossible, given how Amanda has treated you. But I have faith in you, Travis. Take your time to think it over. After your final test tomorrow, I'll expect an answer."
Travis nodded, still processing the gravity of what had just been asked of him. "Thank you, sir. I'll do my best."
Gregory smiled again, though this time it was softer, more genuine. "Good. I'm counting on you."
With that, the conversation ended, and Travis stood, bowing once more before excusing himself from the office. His mind raced as he left the room, replaying the chairman's words over and over.
Outside, Travis was greeted by a familiar sight—Penelope, standing just outside the office door, looking awkward and fidgety. Her usual confidence was replaced by a strange unease as she pretended not to notice him until the last second.
"Oh! Travis, you're here?" she said, feigning surprise as she glanced around nervously.
Travis raised an eyebrow, not buying her act for a second. "Yes. What are you doing here?"
"Me? Oh, I was just... looking for you," she stammered, her voice faltering. "You know, to see how your studying is going. You're ready for tomorrow, right?"
Travis sighed, shaking his head. "Yes, I'm ready. Thanks for asking."
"Good!" Penelope said a little too quickly, clearly relieved that he hadn't pressed her further. "So... want to grab some coffee?"
Before Travis could respond, Penelope grabbed his arm and pulled him along, dragging him toward the front of the main house.
Once they were far enough away from the building, she finally let go and turned to face him, her expression serious. "What did the chairman say? Why did he summon you? Does it have something to do with your test? Or maybe... me?"
Travis sighed, crossing his arms. "Were you eavesdropping outside the office?"
"Look, I was only doing it for you," Penelope said, trying her best to sound sincere. "And maybe for me, too," she added with a sheepish grin.
Travis threw his hands in the air, clearly exasperated. "Penelope, what am I going to do with you?"
Penelope laughed, but there was a genuine warmth to her smile this time. "You'll figure it out. You're a smart guy."
Travis chuckled, despite himself. The tension from earlier began to dissolve, replaced by a sense of calm that had been growing between them. Penelope was unpredictable, but she had a good heart, and Travis couldn't help but feel grateful for her presence.
As they walked back toward the estate, Penelope suddenly stopped, turning to face him again. "By the way, if you pass the test tomorrow, you owe me Korean black bean noddles. Deal?"
Travis raised an eyebrow, amused. "If I pass, huh? And what if I fail?"
"Then you'll be buying me coffee for a whole month," Penelope said with a wink before walking away.
Travis shook his head, watching her go. Penelope was chaotic, but in a strange way, she reminded him of the people back at the monastery—those who had looked out for him when he was younger. She was like an older sister, always finding ways to tease him, but at the same time, she had his back.
As he turned to leave, Levi appeared at his side, looking amused. "What were you two yelling about?"
Travis sighed. "She wanted me to call her 'Big sis' and somehow roped me into buying her Black bean noddles."
Levi chuckled, clapping a hand on Travis's shoulder. "That's Penelope for you."
Travis smiled, grateful for the company of both Levi and Penelope. Whatever tomorrow's test held, he knew he wouldn't face it alone.