"Here, Mam. This way." said the valet as he led the lady to another section of the store.
There, the store owner stood, in rapt attention, for she was an important client.
"Ah, Miss Stone. Always a pleasure to attend to you. May I interest you with this brooch today? Straight from the mines of Andes. This will suit you immensely." he said with a wide smile as he tightened the latex gloves in his hands and opened the box containing the jewelry.
The woman nodded unbothered and picked up the brooch. She then examined the emeralds on it, the pattern resembled an S.
"You had it already made for me?" she asked with a scoff.
"Oh, I just know your love for the emeralds. They honestly suit you so well Miss Stone. So poetic. Goes with your title too." he said in a singsong tone.
She stared at it, it was something she liked, that was for sure. She had to admit that the store owner had an eye for his customers.
She put it on her blazer and turned to look in the mirror. The store owner was ecstatic, whatever jewel she wore, meant that it was hers now and she would willingly pay a handsome price for it.
Her valet quietly took out a suitcase and handed it to the owner.
"Keep it off the books like usual." he warned the store owner who nodded vehemently as he refrained himself from opening the case, he could feel with its weight that she probably paid triple the amount of what he was going to ask originally.
"Keep surprising me." she told him and left, quickly followed by her valet.
"Matthew, what's in my schedule today?" she asked her valet as she sat in the car.
"You have no prior commitments of your own for today Mam, however your grandfather appointed a new bodyguard for you. He wanted him to be around you as soon as possible. He would appreciate it if you meet him quickly enough." he replied.
"Bodyguard? Another? Did he not get the memo on what happened to my last one?" she asked curious.
"The bodyguard in question is from a secret agency I believe. Not your everyday special forces." he replied.
"Everyday special forces? My last one was a retiree from Dead Men." she said recounting her last guard.
He wasn't a retiree technically, his unit was apparently wiped in a mission, all elite special operatives from Great Britain, they were so confidential that there were no records of them. There weren't even records of them being citizens of the country they served. They were all, as the name suggested. Dead Men. They didn't exist as far as the records were concerned. But they sure as hell existed in reality, having completed 46 highly dangerous missions all until their last one where the unit was ambushed and everyone died, except her last bodyguard.
He died last week, while protecting her from an assasination attempt.
If this new bodyguard wanted to stand a chance, he needed to be a literal super human. The people behind her life were no joke after all.
"What is the name?" she asked.
"I am not informed in that matter Mam." he said.
She raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
The car kept heading for her residence. The buildings rushed by. It felt peaceful. But she was queasy. She wasn't really that accustomed to this quiet. Usually her grandfather's enemies would be there for her head. But due to what happened last week, they must have given it a rest for now.
As her envoy reached her residence, a highrise luxury apartment complex. She lived in the top floor's penthouse while the staff necessary for her protection and care lived in the two floors just below her.
She was surprised that the new bodyguard still wasn't here to greet her.
She stepped out of her car and looked around.
"Matthew, where is the new guy?" she asked.
"Well, according to my intel, he should have reached by now. I don't understand why he isn't here yet." he said confused as he looked at his watch.
"Whatever, I am going to my room." she said as she entered the building and went straight to the private lift which opened directly in her penthouse.
Her phone started ringing, it was her grandfather.
"Yes, I arrived." she answered without even hearing his voice, his first question was obvious, whether she reached her house safely.
"That's good to hear. Did you see the new bodyguard I got you?" he asked.
As soon as she was about to say no, she felt a hand on her shoulder and then on her mouth, she yelped in fear and surprise but not much sound came through.
She then felt the hand from her shoulder raise and take apher phone.
"The security of this building is pathetic. The idea of a lift opening straight into the penthouse and it's entrance from the ground floor's lobby is straight up inviting death to your doorstep. Whose genius idea was it?" said the man to her grandfather on the phone.
"So you reached. But you could have given her a heart attack like this. Is she ok?" he asked, his voice a little annoyed.
The man looked at Sylvia and she looked at him, he slowly removed his hand from her mouth.
"She is. Very poor attention to her surroundings though. But at least, strong minded. Others would have buckled." he said as he was now sure that Sylvia wouldn't scream.
"Introduce yourself to her like normal people. Make her feel comfortable with you. Don't make this any more difficult than it already is." ordered her grandfather and ended the call.
She and the man locked eyes again.
He had a chiseled jaw and handsome facial features, what made him immediately noticeable were his reddish hue, hunter eyes.
'That must be very rare.' she thought to herself as she continued staring into them, almost mesmerized.
He definitely wasn't like a model, but definitely a looker. His eyes were to thank for.
"I am your new bodyguard. You may call me 001." he said.
"Who even enters like that?" she asked.
A sensible question.
"I wanted to check the security of this place. I am very disappointed. Whoever had that lift idea is a moron." he said.
"The idea of the lift was mine. I don't like walking so much." she said her face impassive.
"You are a moron." he said bluntly.
Her jaw fell open.
'What? A moron? The nerve of this guy!' she thought.
"Did you just call me a moron?" she asked her tone dangerous.
"I don't have a habit of sugar coating things." he said calmly as he turned to observe the living room of the penthouse and the view it provided.
"How dare you!" she yelled.
"Take as much offence as you like, my job is to keep you alive. If anyone or anything is not keeping you alive, it's my job to get rid of it. In this case however, I can't get rid of you for placing your own life in danger. So I can do nothing but call you moron." he said.
"We can get the lift sealed and removed if it disappoints you so much." she said sarcastically.
"And create an opportunity for assasins to sneak in here? Just like I said, you are a moron." he stated coolly.
"Stop calling me a moron!" she threatened.
"Stop being one." he said.
"That's it, get out. Out! You are fired." she yelled.
He didn't move, rather, just sat down on a sofa calmly, straightened his blazer and reached for an apple on the table.
"Didn't you hear me? I said you are fired." she yelled.
"You can't fire me. I have a contract." he said.
"Well I am cancelling that stupid contract." she snapped.
"Pay the penalty then. 5 times the original amount. $15 million." he said.
She paused. That amount was payable. But if he really took $5 million to protect her, that surely meant that he must be someone really good in his job, otherwise her grandfather would never have signed such a contract. She should calmly handle this. After all, her life was at stake.
"Fine, do whatever you want. Just get out of here for now." she said.
"Sorry. I won't do that either. I am allowed to do whatever I feel is necessary for your safety, that means staying around you constantly. Besides, I am not taking orders from anyone. It's all in the contract, I suggest you read it." he informed.
She sat down.
What kind of a person did grandfather choose anyway? He is so obnoxious. So irritable. Even his looks aren't doing him any favours by covering his shitty personality.
"What do you specialize at?" she asked through gritted teeth.
"Everything necessary for your protection." he replied.
"I will feel more at ease if you stayed outside my penthouse like a normal bodyguard." she said.
"That's not my problem. I really urge you to read the contract." he advised.
She got up, if that's what he says, then that is what she would do.
Surely there must be something in it which can help her.