"Absolutely not! Over my dead body!"
Paul Stratford slammed his hand on the mahogany desk, his face turning red with frustration. He was the CEO of Stratford Group of Companies, a man feared by everyone in the boardroom, a man who could make or break businesses with just one nod.
But right now, he looked like a little boy who was forced to eat vegetables.
"Paul, this is not a request. This is an order from your parents," his assistant, Sarah, said calmly while holding a folder. "And you know very well how persistent your Mom can be. She won't stop calling until you agree."
"I don't need a bodyguard! I am a grown man! I am the CEO! What will people say if they see me walking around with someone holding my back? They will laugh at me!" Paul complained, pacing back and forth inside his huge office.
"It's for your safety, Sir. After that recent threat letter and the incident at the parking lot, we can't take chances," Sarah explained gently. "And besides... this isn't just any bodyguard. This is the best one from the agency."
"Best? So it's some big, muscular guy with a bald head and scary tattoos? Great! Just great! I will look like his hostage instead of his boss!" Paul rolled his eyes.
Sarah couldn't help but smile slightly. "Actually Sir... it's not a man."
Paul stopped walking. He froze.
"What?"
"It's a woman," Sarah repeated.
"A woman?!" Paul’s eyes almost popped out. "Are you kidding me?! You are assigning me a girl to protect me? What can she do? Throw her high heels at the attacker? Or maybe call the police using her lipstick phone? This is ridiculous!"
"She is highly trained, Sir. Black belt in multiple martial arts, ex-military, and has handled high-profile clients. They say she is better than most male agents."
"I don't care! I refuse! I don't want to be protected by a girl! It's embarrassing!" Paul crossed his arms over his chest, looking like a stubborn child.
Just then, the door of the office opened without even a knock.
Both Paul and Sarah looked towards the entrance.
Standing there was a woman. She was wearing a dark blue fitted suit, sunglasses, and her hair was tied up in a tight, neat bun. She looked sharp, professional, and... stunningly beautiful.
Even from a distance, Paul could see that she had sharp facial features, fair skin, and a body that looked fit and strong under that suit.
"Good morning, Mr. Stratford. I am Cindy Miller. I will be your new Head of Security and Personal Bodyguard starting today."
Her voice was clear, firm, and devoid of any emotion. She walked towards the desk with confident steps, placed her portfolio on the table, and extended her hand for a handshake.
Paul just stared at her hand. He didn't take it.
"So... you are the 'bodyguard'?" Paul asked, looking at her from head to toe with obvious doubt. "You look like you are here to apply as a secretary or a model, not to fight bad guys."
Cindy slowly lowered her hand, not even flinching. She removed her sunglasses, revealing a pair of sharp, intelligent eyes.
"Looks can be deceiving, Sir. My job is to keep you alive and safe. Whether you like my appearance or not is irrelevant."
"Ohhh, feisty huh?" Paul smirked, leaning back on his chair. "Listen here Miss... Cindy, right? Let me make this clear. I am the boss here. I don't need a babysitter. Especially not a pretty little girl like you. You might faint if you see blood."
Cindy stared at him blankly. "I have handled worse situations than that, Sir. And I don't faint easily."
"We'll see. But I'm telling you now, I won't follow stupid rules. I won't have you breathing down my neck every second. I have a reputation to maintain!"
"Your safety is my only reputation, Sir. My orders are to be with you 24/7. Where you go, I go. What you do, I watch."
"WHAT? 24/7?!" Paul stood up, shocked. "Even in the bathroom?! Even when I sleep?!"
"Especially when you sleep, Sir. That is when you are most vulnerable," Cindy answered seriously, completely unbothered.
Sarah was standing at the side, trying hard not to laugh. It was the first time she saw someone who could stand up to Paul without shaking in fear.
"This is absurd! This is harassment! I will call my mom and tell her—"
"Your mother already signed the contract, Sir. It is effective immediately," Cindy cut him off calmly.
Paul was speechless. His mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. He was being defeated by a girl! A beautiful, tough girl!
"Fine!" Paul huffed, sitting back down and crossing his arms. "But don't expect me to be nice to you. I will make your job so hard, you will be the one to resign first!"
"I never resign from a job, Sir. I finish what I start," Cindy smiled slightly, a very brief smile that made Paul’s heart skip a beat for some strange reason.
"Good. Now get out of my sight. Stand outside the door. Don't come in unless I call you. And don't even think about following me when I go out later!"
"Yes, Sir."
Cindy turned around gracefully and walked out of the office. The door closed.
As soon as she was gone, Paul let out a huge groan and buried his face in his hands.
"Sarah! Tell me she is joking! Tell me she is just an actress they hired to prank me!"
"No, Sir. She is real. And she seems very capable."
"Capable? She looks like she can't even carry a bag of groceries!" Paul grumbled. "This is going to be the worst month of my life!"
Cindy stood straight near the door, her expression back to being serious and professional. But inside, she was actually amused.
'So this is the famous Paul Stratford,' she thought. 'Rich, handsome, powerful... but acts like a spoiled brat. This is going to be interesting.'
She adjusted her earpiece and checked her watch.
"Mission started. Target is... difficult. But manageable."
Little did she know that protecting this stubborn CEO would not just be a job... it would be the biggest adventure of her life.
📕 MY BODYGUARD, IS A WOMAN