Ch. 31..40
Chapter 31
Bonnie squinted, raised her hand, and pinched Halle’s arm.
“Let me go, you bitch! How dare you fight back when you’re the one who insulted me. You’re nothing but a pathetic nobody. How dare you?”
Bonnie’s face was cold as she exerted more pressure on Halle’s arm. It started to creak as it bent.
“Ouch! Eek! That hurts! My arm’s going to break! Bonnie, you bitch. I’m ordering you to stop!”
Rowena tried to stop her as well. “Don’t do anything rash, Bonnie. She’s one of the Knights. If you hurt her for real, they won’t let it slide, and even Mr. Sigmund won’t be able to cover for you!”
“Are you threatening me? I’ve never backed down from a threat.” Bonnie sneered and pressed down
even harder.
‘Crack!‘ Just like that, Halle’s arm was dislocated. “Arghh!” she screamed at the top of her lungs.
“W–Why, you…” Rowena was at a loss for words. She didn’t think Bonnie would actually do it! What a
terrible woman!
Bonnie stared at Halle coldly. “I’ll give you one last chance. Apologize, or I’ll do more than dislocate your arm. I’ll straight up ruin it!”
Halle caught the devilish look in Bonnie’s eyes just as she was about to yell at her. She had a hunch that she’d meet a far more terrible fate if she continued to challenge Bonnie.
With that in mind, Halle gritted her teeth and said reluctantly, “I’m sorry.
Η
“Tell me again. Who’s the bitch?” Bonnie eyed Halle’s other arm as she spoke.
“Bonnie Shepard! Don’t go too far! Otherwise, I’ll…”
‘Crack! Crack!‘
“I’m sorry! Forgive me! It’s me! I’m the bitch!” Halle begged pitifully as tears streamed down her
cheeks.
Bonnie shoved her away so fiercely that she stumbled and fell. Halle sprawled across the ground, tears and snot all over her face. Her earlier arrogance was all but gone.
“Are you okay, Halle?” Rowena asked, concerned.
arm !!
“It hurts so much! I think she broke my arm.”
Rowena flung herself against Bonnie in a rage, “You’re so cruel, Bonnie! How could you treat Halle like this? She’s just a girl!”
“What’s the matter? Do you want a taste of this too?” Bonnie said solemnly. She cracked her knuckles.
Rowena knew just how terrible Bonnie could be. She fell silent and took a step back, ensuring a safe
distance between them. Then, she took out a check and said, “Here’s five million dollars. Take it. The only condition is you have to stay away from Ivor.‘
Chapter 32
“Five million dollars? Do you think I’m some kind of beggar?” Bonnie looked at the check disdainfully. The country paid her way more than five million dollars as a monthly salary, and that was even before taking the dividends into account.
“You’re asking for way too much! You’re just a nobody. The Shepards might have taken you back, but I hear that you aren’t exactly popular there. They don’t give you any pocket money.
“Five million is nothing to sneeze at. The Shepards would fall on their knees and thank me if I gave them all this money!‘
Rowena crossed her arms on her chest, lifted her chin, and looked down at Bonnie.
“Really? Five million dollars might seem like a huge amount of money to you. You’re from a middle- class family, after all. But it means nothing to someone like me. Take my outfit, for example. This alone is worth several million dollars.” Bonnie pointed at the clothes she was wearing.
“Hahaha! Did you just say your outfit is worth several million dollars? Are you sure you’re not talking about some third–world country currency?”
“You can’t even tell who made my outfit. You’re clueless.” It was Bonnie’s turn to look down
Rowena.
Rowena frowned and started looking closely at Bonnie’s outfit. Her eyes widened when she saw the
logo. Then, her surprise turned to mockery.
“You’ve done it now, Bonnie. You wanted to look good so badly that you slapped Hamish Evans’s unique logo on some random outfit.”
“I know you didn’t recognize it, but I didn’t know just how clueless you were. This is not a
counterfeit.”
“Clueless? I think you’re the ignorant one. You flipped through some magazines and thought anyone could wear Hamish Evans’s clothes. He only makes three outfits a month. All kinds of famous and wealthy people fight over every piece he makes.
“There’s no way a hillbilly managed to get one of his outfits. I’m a huge fan of his. I know about all his designs, and I can say for sure that he hasn’t made anything like what you’re wearing!”
“That’s because Hamish designed this outfit specifically for me. Of course you wouldn’t have seen it.
Rowena burst into laughter. “Did you hear that, Halle? She said Hamish designed that outfit specifically for her. Why doesn’t she just go ahead and say that Hamish works for her and designs an outfit for her every day? How shameless!”
Halle ignored her painful arm and joined the mocking. “That’s why I said she doesn’t deserve cousin Ivor! She dragged his name through the mud when she was engaged to him. Get her out of here now, Rowena. She’s making me sick.”
Rowena pulled off a jade bracelet from her wrist and reached out to Bonnie, “My grandmother spent a lot of money on this bracelet for my eighteenth birthday. Do you know how much it was? I’m sure
you’ll be shocked.
“This cost ten million dollars! Ten million! What do you think? Are you surprised? Take it. You’ll never wear a piece of jewelry more extravagant than this one. I’m giving it to you out of the kindness of my heart.”
Bonnie looked at the bracelet coldly and extended her hand as though to take it.
“Heh!” Rowena despised her. ‘Why isn’t Bonnie keeping up her aloof pretense now? Was it because she thought five million dollars wasn’t enough?‘
As she moved to put the jade bracelet in Bonnie’s hand, Bonnie snatched her hand back. Just like that, it fell out of Rowena’s hand and straight onto the ground.
‘Smash!‘ The jade bracelet shattered into several pieces. Rowena screamed in shock. “My bracelet!”
Halle couldn’t believe what had just happened. She was about to yell at Bonnie when she saw Ivor coming out of his study.
An idea sprung in her mind and she yelled, “That’s too much, Bonnie. Rowena just said something you didn’t want to hear, but you went ahead and smashed her jade bracelet on the ground! Her late grandmother gave that to her! How could you be so cold?”
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Rowena instantly guessed why Halle was spinning the story that way. She put on a heartbroken face, Tysats streamed down her face as she said, “Plat was my Jade bracelet. It’s the only thing I have to remember my grandmother by.
“sho doted on me when she was still with us, I was so miserable when she passed away. The jade bracelet was the only thing I had left of her.
How could you do this, Bonnie? I just asked you to be nice to Ivor. You can hit me or argue with me, but you shouldn’t have smashed my bracelet…”
Halle made her way to Ivor, gritted her teeth, and started complaining. “You need to stand up for Rowena, Ivor! Bonnie smashed her bracelet and broke my arm. Look at it. It hurts like hell!”
Ivor looked at Bonnie. “Did you break her arm?”
“I guess you could say that. I didn’t break it, though. I only dislocated it because I was thinking of Grandpa Sigmund. Otherwise, I would’ve broken it for sure.” Bonnie spoke in a tone so light you would have thought she was talking about something mundane.
Halle was about to lose it. “Look at her, Ivor. She hurt me and smashed Rowena’s bracelet, but she’s still acting so full of herself, I won’t stand for this! You need to teach her a lesson. Better yet, break her arms and legs before you kick her out of here!”
“I did hurt you, I admit. You deserved it, after all. But as for Rowena’s bracelet…” Bonnie cast a casual glance at Rowena, who was crying her eyes out, and said, “You should have shown more respect for your grandmother.
“I don’t know why you’d try to chase me away by offering me the bracelet your late grandmother gave you. You’re such an animal. Oh, wait. Animals do have some semblance of respect for their elders. It would be an insult to say you’re an animal. You’re worse than an animal!”
Rowena was speechless at Bonnie’s blunt retort. In the end, Halle stepped forward and spoke for Rowena. “What nonsense are you saying? When did Rowena say she would give you the bracelet? You’re the one who snatched it and smashed it in a fit of rage when she refused to let you take it.”
Bonnie sneered and looked at Ivor. “Do you believe me or them?”
“I believe you.” Ivor said immediately. Bonnie was surprised to hear such a straightforward answer.
“You can’t trust her, Ivor! She’s just a second–rate, miserable bitch who doesn’t deserve you at all!” As she said that, Halle was met with Ivor’s terrible gaze. Just as she was wondering what she had said to deserve such a look, he slapped her right across her face.
‘Slap!‘ The sound resounded clearly through the room. Everyone was shocked, even Bonnie. Halle covered her cheek and stared at him incredulously.
“D–Did you just slap me, Ivor? Why did you do that?”
“Why? the’s engaged to me Technically, she’s your cousin in–law. You need to respect my fiancé How dare you swear at her and call her names. As her future husband, I have a duty to teach you a lesson on hy behalf!”
It felt as if the temperature of the room had dropped. Halle couldn’t help but gawit. Rowena, on the other hand, was green with envy and staring daggers at Bonnie.
hvor had never stood up for anyone like this. Not even Bonnie herself had thought he would take her side all the time
After a long period of silence, Halle burst out crying. “I can’t believe you’re on her side, Ivor. What
sakeg you think she can be my cousin–in–law? I won’t stand for this.
“I thought you didn’t want to marry her. Why would you teach me a lesson on her behalf and slap me, then? I won’t let this rest. I’m going to tell my parents about this.”
“Alright. You won’t let this rest, huh? I’ll tell the butler to show me the security footage.” Ivor turned to give an order to the butler, who was standing at the side of the room.
“At once.” The butler left to do his master’s bidding.
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Halle started feeling worried. She looked at Rowena, who said anxiously, “There’s no need to watch the security footage, Ivor. After all, Grandpa Sigmund likes her. I might not care about her, but I need to show him some respect.
“What’s done is done. My grandmother’s been gone a long time anyway. I can hold on to the bracelet forever, but she won’t come back to me. I’ll do Grandpa Sigmund a favor and let this slide.” Then, Rowena took Halle’s arm and said, “Let’s go, Halle.”
Ivor stopped them. “Who said you could leave?”
Rowena and Halle stopped in their tracks and looked at each other. They didn’t get it. Why wasn’t Ivor letting this go? He was a privileged, capable man. There was no way he loved a nobody like Bonnie!
Ivor stepped briskly toward them. “Apologize to Bonnie!”
“W–We didn’t do anything wrong!”
“Alright. I’ll check the security footage and send it to everyone in the family,” He said coldly. That shook both of them to the core. Their faces turned pale.
The coldness and the cruel indifference in Ivor’s eyes were unmistakable. “Apologize to Bonnie, and do it properly. Otherwise, I’ll make you two regret what you did!”
The struggle was real for both Halle and Rowena!
“I’m going to count to three.” Ivor didn’t give them any time to think and began to count.
“One.”
“Two.”
Halle and Rowena almost turned blue in the face as they struggled to keep silent. They gritted their teeth. This was the biggest humiliation they had ever experienced in their lives! However, they had no choice but to cower before Ivor.
“We’re sorry!” Halle and Rowena apologized at the same time. They even bowed to Bonnie.
“You can go now.” Ivor said with a blank face.
Halle and Rowena did not waste a second and turned to leave.
Bonnie walked to Ivor and said, “Thanks for standing up for me. I didn’t really need your help, but I have to say I owe you a favor. I don’t like having that hanging over my head. How do you want me to repay you?”
He pointed upstairs. “Play chess with me.”
Bonnie nodded. “Sure, but I have to see to some business outside. Let’s do it tonight instead.”
“Sure.”
“Come to my room tonight. I’ll be waiting.” Bonnie said it casually, but her tone sounded a little. tempting to lvor.
She was gone by the time Ivor snapped out of his trance.
“Where’s Bonnie?”
“She left just a second ago.”
Frowning, Ivor went up to his study. He was going to continue his work, but he found himself walking to the window involuntarily. That was when he saw Bonnie getting into a Rolls–Royce. A man was waiting by the car.
“Huh?”
Was that Jim Ray, Ms. Bonita’s bodyguard?!
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Ivor was surprised. He wanted to take a closer look, but the man got into the car as well.
“It couldn’t have been Jim Ray.” He shook his head. Jim was Ms. Bonita’s top bodyguard. Why would he be with Bonnie? He must have been mistaken.
Meanwhile, in the Rolls–Royce, Jim was asking Bonnie worriedly, “How was everything? Was anyone from the Knight family mean to you?”
She found his question very amusing. “Do you think I’d let anybody be mean to me?”
He didn’t feel better just because she had answered him lightly. “Did Ivor do anything to you? Was he mean to you?”
“He treats me the way he would any ordinary person. He’s not exactly hostile toward me.”
“That’s fine, then.”
“Oh. Speaking of, he helped me out of a pickle just now.”
“What? What happened?” Jim sounded very worried. She told him everything that had just happened at the Knight family’s place. Jim’s face was stern to begin with, but it grew fiercer and darker when he heard the whole story.
“I can’t believe Halle and Rowena tried to pick a fight with you. Leave it to me, Bonnie. I’ll charge them with treason for humiliating a researcher of the nation!”
She looked at Jim, whose face was cold and grim, and shook her head. “You don’t use a sledgehammer to crack a nut. There was no need to involve you in this. And anyway, I already taught them a lesson!”
“You let them off the hook too easily!”
“I have to agree with that, but you need to remember that Sigmund is Halle’s grandfather. I would have been much harsher on them if it wasn’t for him.”
Jim frowned and hesitated before looking at Bonnie sternly. “You need to tell me if anything like t happens to you again. Your safety is the nation’s top priority.”
“Alright. I’ll let you know right away next time I get into trouble,” She promised him.
that
However, Jim didn’t exactly feel reassured. “Maybe I should just stay with the Knight family. That’ll make it easier for me to protect you.”
She raised her eyes, “No way. You’ll expose my identity to the whole world if you stay with the Knight family just to protect me. I hid my identity for a reason, and it’s not about keeping a low profile.
“I just don’t like the idea that reporters and paparazzi will dog me the moment I step outside, or that I’ll cause congestion in traffic because I want to buy food or go shopping. I’ll lose my freedom and privacy. I just want some peace and quiet, that’s all.”
“You say that, but those petty characters in the Knight family will always try to cause trouble for you. I believe you’ll be able to handle them easily, but what good will I be as a bodyguard if I can’t protect you?”
“I said no. End of discussion,” Bonnie said firmly. Jim pursed his lips and lowered his gaze, a plan already forming in his mind.
Bonnie went back to the Knight family’s place after working at the research institute the entire day. Something was different today. Several dozen bodyguards were standing in the courtyard, all of them wearing sunglasses.
“What’s this?” She asked curiously.
Alfred answered, “It hasn’t been safe in Pyralis lately. We’ve seen reports of burglaries in mansions and villas. The criminals are so bold that they’d rob someone in broad daylight. Mr. Ivor gave the order to hire some skillful bodyguards.”
“I see.”
As Bonnie cast a casual glance at the bodyguards, a six–foot–five man caught her attention. He looked familiar. She felt as if she had seen him somewhere before.
“You should return to your room, Ms. Bonnie. I’m going to test them now. Things will get pretty violent. I’m worried it’ll upset you.” Alfred said.
“It’s alright. I’ll watch the tests.” She said lightly.
He was about to say something when it occurred to him that Bonnie had fought with Ms. Maisie during the engagement party. She was right. Why would Ms. Maisie’s fellow disciple be upset by some tests?
As they were getting ready for the tests, Bonnie found a place and took a seat.
The six–foot–five man among the bodyguards cast a glance at Bonnie swiftly and quietly.
Chapter 36
Bonnie caught his glance and stared at him fiercely. The six–foot–five man was startled and proceeded to pretend that nothing had happened. He stared straight forward and waited for the test
to start.
“The test will begin now. Form two rows, and we’ll hold the duels one by one,” the butler said to the bodyguards.
The group began the duels according to his instructions. The first round of duels disqualified half of them. Then, he held another round of duels and cut the numbers in half again. Now, there were only Twenty–four bodyguards left.
should do it.” Alfred nodded in satisfaction. “Take a break, everyone. I’ll pick a captain in twenty minutes.”
After twenty minutes went by, Alfred arranged for them to duke it out amongst themselves. The six- foot–five man was very skillful. He sent his opponents flying in no time.
Alfred was about to make him captain when Bonnie spoke up. “I don’t think it’s enough for the Knight family’s bodyguard to be good in a fight. That’s too easy. They should have some medical knowledge as well.”
He was stunned. The disdain in his eyes was unmistakable. “You’re just a student, Ms. Bonnie. It would be better for you not to get involved. After all, this is about the security of the Knight family.”
Alfred might have said that in a respectful tone, but he did look down on her. He couldn’t believe Bonnie really thought she was mistress of the house.
She, on the other hand, paid him no mind. She needed to confirm her suspicions. “In 1998, the wealthiest man in Aquilonia, Nox Turner, died of poisoning. His bodyguard had zero medical knowledge, so he didn’t realize that a toxin could be produced by combining certain foods. It induced a heart attack.
“In 2005, the royal princess of Xentara accidentally breathed in an odorless, poisonous gas and slipped into unconsciousness. She remains in a vegetative state to this day. Many incidents like that have happened. Do you think you’ll be able to take responsibility if someone tried to poison one of the Knights?”
Bonnie might have spoken calmly, but Alfred was unnerved. He wasn’t happy about this. He felt as if she was challenging his authority. So, he said spitefully, “Maybe you should test them then, Ms. Bonnie. You must have worked out something before you interrupted my tests.”
If she wanted to show off, he’d put her on the spot. In any case, Bonnie was a terrible student. She was probably just trying to show off. There was no way she could think of something to actually test the bodyguards with.
“Sure thing.” Bonnie accepted the challenge and ordered some pens and papers to be brought to her. She wrote down ten questions in no time and gave them to a gobsmacked Alfred.
He verified the questions with the doctor he hired for his tests. To their disbelief, they were substantial questions! She wouldn’t have been able to come up with these questions if she hadn’t done some profound research in the toxicology field.
The doctor regarded her in admiration. “I can’t believe you have such a deep knowledge of toxicology, Ms. Bonnie. Could you give me some pointers?”
Alfred was totally shocked. When Bonnie gave the word, the bodyguards went on to take the
additional test. Only a few of them could give the correct answers, but the six–foot–five man managed to get a perfect score.
She checked his answer sheet and chuckled. She walked to the man in question and asked with a smile, “What’s your name?”
“Tim Reid.”
“Tim Reid…” Bonnie muttered, “Hmm. What a fine name. It reminds me of someone.
The man’s fingers twitched slightly.
“Do you want to know who it reminds me of?” Bonnie grinned widely.
“I–I’m not sure about that.”
She kept grinning and said lightly, “It reminds me of the King of Combat, Jim Ray.”
Alfred was very displeased. “Watch your tongue, Ms. Bonnie! If Ms. Bonita and Mr. Jim find out what you said, it’ll bring catastrophe to the Knight family. You’ll be the person who caused their downfall!“
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Bonnie looked at Alfred, stunned.
He held up his chin triumphantly and said condescendingly, “Mr. Jim is no ordinary man, Ms. Bonnie. He’s an extremely proficient fighter and very proud. How could you compare these bodyguards with someone as great as him? You’d better watch out. They might come after you!”
“Oh. This Jim character is quite something, huh?” She chuckled. A bead of sweat flowed down the side of Tim Reid’s forehead. In fact, he was Jim Ray in disguise. He held himself back from his strong desire to tear Alfred apart and remained where he stood.
Alfred had more to say. “Mr. Jim’s working for someone even more important. You might have heard of Ms. Bonita, the world–renowned researcher who successfully developed the world’s latest
nanomaterial.
“If you offend Mr. Jim, you’ll offend Ms. Bonita as well. Not even Mr. Sigmund will be able to help you then. They won’t do him any favors,” Alfred thought he had intimidated Bonnie a little and gained some of her respect. But Bonnie looked calm as usual, almost as if she wasn’t fazed in the least.
Alfred was displeased. “It looks like you don’t understand the full gravity of the situation, Ms. Bonnie.”
“What do I need to understand? Do you think Mr. Jim and Ms. Bonita would stir up trouble with me over something so trivial? Do you think they have time for that? Are you calling them petty?”
She shot a cold glance at him and kept going, “If that’s what you’re trying to say here, they’d probably want to teach you a lesson instead.”
Alfred’s face turned green. He didn’t have anything to say. He wanted to teach Bonnie a lesson, but she had schooled him back. And everything she said had a point, so he couldn’t even argue with her!
At that moment, Ivor returned from work.
“Have you chosen the bodyguards?” He asked as he looked at Alfred.
“You’re looking at them. They’re the best of the best. That’s especially true when it comes to the new captain. He’s very formidable.” Alfred pointed at Jim and praised him non–stop.
Ivor scanned Jim for a while before turning his gaze to his assistant and bodyguard, Floyd. He
ordered, “Spar with him and size him up.”
“Roger that, Mr. Ivor.” Floyd stepped forward and asked, “Should I go easy on him?”
Jim spoke before Ivor could. “That won’t be necessary.”
“Oh? Confident, aren’t you?” Floyd did some warm–ups and said, “Fair warning. Even the black belts are no match for me. I’m in a different league from the people you just defeated”
Jim gestured confidently. “Let’s begin.”
“Every fighter has his pride. Very well. You have my respect.” Despite what Floyd said, he had already made up his mind to take his opponent down a peg. But he still didn’t want to humiliate Jim.
Floyd just wanted him to know that there would always be someone stronger than him. If Jim couldn’t let go of his pride, it would stop him doing a good job as the Knights‘ bodyguard. It was better to chip away at some of his pride now.
Bonnie walked over to Ivor and said, “I suggest Floyd fight with everything he’s got.”
Ivor raised his brow and asked, “Is he really that good?”
“What do you think would happen if Floyd went up against me?” Bonnie answered his question with another question.
After thinking for a while, Ivor reached an answer. “He might not win.”
C
Chapter 38
Honnte glanced at Jim, who was warming up, and said, “If I went up against him, I’d only stand a slim
hance of winning “What she said gave Ivor quite a shock.
“Begin!” Alfred shouted. He was acting as referee for the fight. Floyd moved in on Jim. They were both skilled fighters, and traded blows incessantly. It was a sight to behold, dazzling the onlookers.
Ivor began to believe what Bonnie had said. “He’s definitely strong
Bonnie was silent, Jim was pulling his punches because he was trying to conceal his identity. Otherwise, he would have knocked out Floyd immediately.
Five minutes later, gusts of wind rose as Jim and Floyd’s fists collided fiercely. Then, they both stepped back.
“Wonderfull! You fought well! I like you!” Floyd laughed and patted Jim on his shoulder. He made it look like they were two evenly matched fighters who were admiring each other.
Jim gave Floyd’s hand a sideways glance. He would’ve thrown Floyd over his shoulder out of pure
instinct if it wasn’t for Bonnie,
“The way you fought reminded me so much of Mr. Jim. Are you a fan of his as well?” Floyd couldn’t help but ask.
“You’re a fan?” Jim asked.
“Of course!” Floyd got excited when they started talking about Jim. “I really admire Mr. Jim! I’ve watched every single match of his. They were exhilarating! My only wish in life is to spar with him and have him show me some pointers. I’ll die a happy man if my wish comes true!”
Jim was about to lose it. Bonnie nearly burst into laughter as well.
“That’s enough, Floyd.” Ivor said lightly.
Floyd was a little embarrassed. “U–Understood, sir. Please excuse me. I lose my composure whenever
I talk about Mr. Jim.”
Ivor looked at Bonnie. “It hasn’t been safe recently. You should pick some of these men to be your
bodyguards.”
She raised her fists. “Do you think I need bodyguards?”
He stared at her hands involuntarily. Her skin was so fair and tender that it looked like silk, soft and
smooth to the touch.
He had seen the way she fought. Bonnie could easily match his mother in terms of combat. She was Cary Burns’s apprentice, too.
But Ivor still thought she was weak and vulnerable. She needed protection. He was thinking of a way to convince her to take the bodyguards with her when she changed her mind.
“I might have been trained in combat, but I could slip up sometimes. I guess it’s a good idea to have someone to back me up. I’ll pick one of them.”
“Yeah. That’s right.” Ivor nodded.
Pointing at Jim, she said, “He’ll do.” She did it so she could help conceal his identity.
Out of nowhere, Ivor said somewhat menacingly in her ear, “What is it? Is he your type? Do you like him?”
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Bonnie rolled her eyes and said, “So what if he’s my type of guy? What does that have to do with you?”
Out of nowhere, Ivor gripped her arm. “I knew it. You like him!”
She had never seen him behave this way. He had always been aloof, arrogant, and coldly distant. But this time, she saw a flash of rage in his eyes!
Perhaps she was mistaken, she thought.
“What’s with the sudden fit of anger, Mr. Ivor? Allow me to remind you of our agreement.
There was a hint of fleeting confusion in his deep, black eyes. It went away as quickly as it came. Ivor composed himself and gave her a cold, sidelong glance. “I’ve made it clear that you’re supposed to be my fiancé this month! I hope you’ll behave like it!”
“Okay. I won’t cheat on you this month. You have my word.”
A hint of darkness flashed in his eyes. He spoke grimly, “Are you trying to say you’ll do whatever you want after a month?”
Bonnie was at a loss. “Are you pretending to be ignorant or are you genuinely confused? I’ll be a free woman by then. Whatever I do won’t concern you anymore. So, mind your own business!” With that, she withdrew her hand from his grip.
Ivor clenched his fist involuntarily, but he relaxed it a second later. As he trained his gaze on her, her words ran through his head.
“I’ll be a free woman by then.”
He couldn’t explain why, but he felt uneasy.
Bonnie had long stopped looking at him. Instead, she looked at Jim and said, “Come with me. I have some work for you.”
A flash of menace showed in Ivor’s eyes again. He stared at Jim sharply and condescendingly. Suddenly, he said, “I’ve thought about it. You should come to my room tonight.”
Bonnie was puzzled. She didn’t think that Ivor would try to lure her into his trap. “Didn’t we agree to go to my room?”
“Eight
o’clock tonight. I’ll be waiting.” Ivor refused to explain himself any further and left.
As soon as he was out of sight, Jim asked worriedly, “Why are you going to his room at night? Eight o’clock is a late time. Is he trying to do something to you? He seemed really hostile just now. He’s clearly up to something!”
Bonnie thought nothing of it. “What’s he going to do to me? We agreed to meet at eight o’clock tonight because I promised him a game of chess.”
“Chess?”
“Mm–hmm.” She nodded, “He’s the Knight.”
Dumbstruck, Jim said, “I can’t believe he’s the Knight! He’s the heir to the family business. I don’t know how he found the time to play chess.”
Then, he saw that Bonnie was staring right at him and felt a little guilty.
She crossed her arms and said, “Why did you apply to be a bodyguard here?“.
“I did it to protect you,” he said unapologetically.
She rubbed the side of her head. “Aren’t you worried that someone might find out who you are? What will we do if they uncover my real identity through you?”
“Don’t worry. I’ll tread very cautiously. No one’s going to find out about me.”
“Don’t jinx it!”
He scratched the back of his head, embarrassed, “They’re not going to find out this time. I promise.”
It was eight o’clock. Bonnie had arrived at Ivor’s room. She hesitated a little as she raised her hand to
knock on his door.
Jim’s words came back to haunt her. Ivor hadn’t been acting like himself today. Jim might have exaggerated, but she had also sensed that Ivor wasn’t easy to deal with. She could clearly see his imposing aggression every time she interacted with him.
However, she was well–versed in combat, she thought.
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It was just a game of chess. What could possibly happen? What were the chances of Ivor forcing himself on her?
‘Knock Knock Knock. She rapped on his door.
A deep, charming voice responded, “Come in.”
Bonnie smelled a wonderful cologne as soon as she pushed the door open. Ivor definitely used the good stuff.
Ivor was sitting in a chair. A chessboard had been set up in front of him. He had even gotten someone to prepare tea. Ivor took a slow sip as steam wafted over his sharp eyes. The steam lingered, giving his handsome features an almost ethereal sense of charm.
“The tea master brewed this. Have a taste.”
“Sure.” Bonnie didn’t bother to stand on formalities. She lifted the cup and tasted the tea. “This is Mariage Frères. It’s been brewed very well, too.”
He raised his brow and asked playfully, “How do you know it’s Mariage Frères?”
Mariage Frères was one of the most prestigious tea companies in Parisia. It produced extraordinary teas in small quantities. Most people had never even heard of it.
“Is it hard for ordinary people to tell what it is?” Bonnie answered nonchalantly and set the cup down. on the table.
“Have you tasted it before?”
“I have. I’ve tasted all kinds of teas. You could say I’ve tasted every tea imaginable.” She said. Ivor would have dismissed what she said as lies in the past, but he hesitated to think that of her now. Bonnie might be young, but she was far more skilled than the average person.
“How surprising. You might be young, but you seem to have some experience with tea. Are you going to tell me that you’re a tea master next?” Ivor poured her another cup of tea and said
condescendingly.
“You could say that,” she said with a blank face. “I could’ve brewed better than this.”
Ivor was speechless. Bonnie said that she had tasted every tea imaginable, but anyone who was rich enough could do that. However, it was simply arrogance to say that she could brew better tea than a
tea master.
Tea–brewing was a skill that took practice. Even if Bonnie were to learn it from scratch, she wouldn’t have been able to surpass a tea master.
“I employ a famous tea master, Quenton Hill. If you’re a tea master yourself, you must have heard of
him.”
“Quenton? Is he working for you?” She put down her cup of tea and asked.
Quenton?!
For a second, Ivor thought he had misheard her. Quenton Hill had won several championships in the World Tea Art Tournament, and he was also senior consultant of the International Tea Association.
He brewed divine teas. He could turn even the most humble tea leaves into something hauntingly aromatic. Ivor had spent several million dollars to hire Quenton to be his personal tea master, but here Bonnie was, talking about the tea master as if they were friends!
“Where is he? It’s been a long time since I last saw him.” Bonnie asked excitedly.
“He’s gone home,” Ivor said lightly, instead of exposing her for the fraud she was.
Bonnie looked like she was disappointed with his answer. She put up such a good act that Ivor had to wonder if she was delusional.
That worried him. If she kept lying to people, someone would expose her one day. She would be opening herself up to harsh remarks and embarrassment when that happened..
Perhaps he should teach her a lesson by bringing her down a little. That would teach her to be more humble. Making up his mind, Ivor said, “I have some tea leaves here. You said you could brew
something better than Quenton. I’d love to have a taste. Just how good can your tea be?”