After passing through a long corridor and a meticulously arranged hedge maze, they finally arrived at a modern minimalist building located at the very back of the mansion grounds.
"This is your pavilion," Indah said, tapping an access card against the entrance. "The facilities here are complete. There’s a lounge, a mini fitness center, and private rooms on the second floor. Ms. Rose wants you on standby at all times, so never leave this place without her permission."
As the door swung open, Gopar almost dropped his bag. His eyes widened and his jaw hit the floor. He wasn't alone; Bejo and Ucok looked just as stunned. Before them stretched a living area featuring a spacious leather sofa, a flat-screen TV as large as a cinema screen, and a coffee table topped with exotic animal hide.
"Holy cow! Is this a bodyguard pavilion or the governor's official residence? This is way too fancy! " Bejo exclaimed, immediately plopping down on the sofa and intentionally bouncing on the plush cushions.
Ucok rushed toward a large mirror in the hallway. "Damn, the lighting here is incredible! If I take a selfie here, people will think I’m Kim Seon-ho’s long-lost cousin!"
Samson stood in the center of the room, staring blankly at the luxury surrounding him. His mind was still drifting back to the look of fear on Itari’s face when Soraya scolded her earlier. There was something toxic inside this house, and his street instincts told him that guarding Rose wouldn't be as simple as beating up muggers in an alley.
"Upstairs, suitcases containing your uniforms have been prepared," Indah continued. "Ms. Rose doesn't want to see you wearing undersized batik or colorful scarves anymore. Shower, clean yourselves up, and put on those uniforms. Ms. Rose will be here in an hour for your first briefing."
"Oh, Ms. Indah. Is Ms. Rose’s room here too, or...?" Samson asked, immediately realizing his question touched on her privacy. "Um... I mean, I need to know where she is so I can keep watch from a distance, right?" he added with a chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Ms. Rose doesn't live here," Indah replied, gesturing toward the building adjacent to the pavilion. "That building is Ms. Rose’s private quarters. So far, no one is allowed inside except for me, as her personal assistant."
"Oh, so Ms. Rose has her own house here too?" Samson muttered, observing the neighboring building, which looked more secluded and elegant.
"Correct. Ms. Rose values her privacy deeply, especially from other family members," Indah answered with a secretive tone. "So, your job is to ensure the exterior of this pavilion and the path to the main house are always clear. Now, hurry and get ready."
Once Indah left, the three subordinates immediately raced for the second floor.
"The biggest room is mine!" Gopar shouted, lugging his faded backpack.
"No way! I need the room with the best lighting for my content!" Ucok countered, refusing to back down.
Samson just shook his head at their antics. He walked slowly toward a black suitcase placed on the main table. Upon opening it, he found a slim-fit black suit made of premium fabric, a crisp white shirt, and a silk tie.
An hour later, the pavilion door opened again. Samson stepped out of his room completely transformed. His massive frame was encased in a perfectly tailored black suit that accentuated his broad shoulders and muscular chest. The scar on his eyebrow now made him look like a dangerous, high-end action movie star.
Bejo, Gopar, and Ucok followed behind him. Though they were initially clumsy in their slippery dress shoes, they looked far more professional than they did in their tacky batik this morning.
"Whoa, Boss... if Mom saw your outfit, she’d think you’d actually joined the National Intelligence Agency," Bejo praised, admiring his own suit in the mirror.
"For real," Ucok chimed in. "Look at me, I’m practically Kim Seon-ho’s twin," he said proudly, smoothing his hair.
Gopar, who had just stepped out of the bathroom with a towel still wrapped around his neck, burst out laughing. "Kim Seon-ho? You look more like spoiled Kim-chi, Cok!" Gopar teased while trying to put on his jacket.
The problem was, Gopar’s stomach, well-acquainted with fried snacks, was making his suit buttons look like they were in agony.
SNAP!
One of Gopar’s buttons broke off and went flying, nearly hitting Bejo’s nose while he was busy polishing his shoes with a wet wipe.
"Hey! Watch it, Gopar! I’m looking this sharp, and you’re going to give me a red forehead from a stray button?!" Bejo protested, jumping back in surprise. "Look at me; I'm neat, I smell good, I’m like a secret agent ready to save damsels in distress."
"Sorry, Jo. I think my suit is too small. I need a bigger one to fit," Gopar complained.
"Tsk, the suit isn't small. Your stomach is just too big, Gopar. Go on a diet! There’s no such thing as a bodyguard with a potbelly," Ucok protested.
"Enough... that’s enough. Stop the noise," Samson interjected. "Just wear that for now, Par. I’ll try talking to Ms. Indah later."
"You got it, Boss. You're the best," Gopar chuckled, giving two thumbs up.
"Man, I really look like a CEO in a Chinese drama. Now I just need to find a rich girl," Bejo joked, standing tall. Unfortunately, his brand-new, slippery shoes didn't get along with the freshly mopped marble floor. As he tried to strike a cool pose, his feet slid out from under him.
"Aaaagh—!" THUD!
Bejo fell flat on his back with his legs in the air, looking exactly like an overturned turtle. Samson massaged the bridge of his nose, feeling his blood pressure rise.
"Haha... what kind of CEO faceplants like that?" Ucok and Gopar laughed.
Samson could only shake his head. "Good grief, you guys are a disaster," Samson groaned, though the corners of his mouth twitched as he fought back a laugh.
Samson grabbed Bejo's collar to help him up. "Remember, when we go to the main house, you must not act foolishly." Bejo, walk slowly; don't try to strut like you're on a catwalk. Gopar, don't eat while walking, especially when the employer is passing by. Ucok, put that phone away. No more TikTok lives every five minutes!"
"Yes, Giant Boss!" they answered in unison, though Gopar’s face turned blue as he held his breath with all his might to save his remaining buttons.
“Okay, we’re starting work now. Remember, this is honest work. We have to be truthful and drop our old habits, especially the habit of 'borrowing' luxury items. Just mind your manners, and if anyone intimidates you, report it to me!” Samson said firmly.
“Yes, Boss!” they replied.
“Okay, let’s head down.”
They exited the pavilion in a single-file formation. Samson led the way with the aura of an international bodyguard, followed by Ucok, who had a slight sway to his walk but tried to stay upright; Bejo, who stepped as carefully as if he were crossing a minefield to avoid slipping again; and Gopar, who walked stiffly for fear of his buttons shooting someone else.
When they reached the porch of the main house, Rose was already waiting with Indah. Rose, who had been checking her watch, suddenly froze. She scanned Samson from head to toe. She had to admit, the man looked... very different.
"Are you ready?" Rose asked, trying to remain composed even as her heart skipped a beat at Samson's new look.
"Ready, Miss," Samson answered confidently.
However, the peace only lasted three seconds. As Gopar walked past Rose to take his position in the rear, a pungent aroma hit the CEO's nose.
"What is that smell?" Rose furrowed her brow, covering her nose with the back of her hand. "What perfume are you wearing?"
"Uh... Ms. Boss," Gopar grinned sheepishly. "I used the wrong hair oil earlier. Turns out it was lemongrass rub-on oil."
Indah nearly burst out laughing, while Samson clenched his fist, ready to smack Gopar’s head if they weren't in front of their employer.
"I’m sorry, Ms. Rose. My men are a bit... eccentric," Samson whispered apologetically.
"Goodness," Rose smiled faintly. "Alright, I’ll have some masculine cologne prepared for you all. Don't wear any more strange scents."
"Whoa, yes, Ms. Boss!" Ucok was the most enthusiastic.
Just as Rose was about to comment further, a young girl with pigtails and headphones around her neck stepped out of the main door holding a soda bottle. She stopped right in front of the group, squinted her eyes, and approached Gopar.
"Eww... Rose! Where did these bad guys come from?" the girl shrieked.
***
Latest Chapter
CHAPTER 106: The Power Vacuum
The exact second the live clarification broadcast concluded, Rose finally let out a long, heavy breath she had been holding for what felt like hours. Her limbs felt weak, yet an overwhelming sense of profound relief washed over her chest. She turned her head toward Itari, who was sitting directly beside her. Her stepmother was still sobbing softly, but the expression in her eyes was far more alive than it had ever been while she was locked away inside Baskoro's living hell."We did it," Rose whispered, encasing Itari's hand in a tight, reassuring grip.Itari turned to Rose and instantly pulled the younger woman into a fierce embrace. "Thank you, Rose. I honestly don't know... if you hadn't helped me, I might have committed suicide because I simply couldn't endure it anymore. Thank you for pulling me out of that hell," Itari wept against her shoulder.A gentle smile touched Rose's lips, and she extended both arms to pat Itari’s back. For the first time in her life, she experienced a st
CHAPTER 105: The Shockwave
In a lavish penthouse suite on the highest floor of the Arunika Hotel, Baskoro hurled a crystal glass against the wall, shattering it into a thousand flying fragments.Crash!"Idiots!" he roared, his voice thick with unbridled fury.The two men clad in black suits standing before him immediately lowered their heads, their postures rigid with tension."How could they possibly slip away and make contact with Richard?!" Baskoro’s voice echoed violently throughout the room."Forgive us, Sir," one of the men replied nervously, his voice trembling. "Richard’s security details had secured every single access point to the building before our operatives could even arrive."Baskoro’s jaw set into a hard, rigid line.On the massive television screen mounted on the wall, the news broadcast concerning Itari continued to play on an endless loop."ITARI ROSALINA ALLEGEDLY INVOLVED IN AN ILLICIT AFFAIR WITH A BODYGUARD!"Yet, far from looking satisfied, Baskoro appeared even more enraged. The initial
CHAPTER 104: Counter-Offensive
"Insolent bastards!" Clara hissed, her jaw clenching hard.Samson snatched the phone from Clara’s hand and scanned the article rapidly. The headline was plastered in massive bold letters across various gossip portals and online news outlets."ITARI ROSALINA ALLEGEDLY HAVING AN AFFAIR WITH HER HUSBAND'S OWN BODYGUARD!!!"Right beneath the headline was a photo of Samson carrying Itari the previous night. It was a shot clearly taken surreptitiously from a distance.Samson’s gaze instantly turned glacial. "They moved quickly," he murmured in a dangerously low tone.Rose scrolled through the other articles, and the more she read, the paler her face became. "They’ve already launched a preemptive strike," she whispered.Embedded within the article was a video of Itari’s biological father weeping in front of the camera."My daughter has been unruly since she was a child," the old man claimed in the video. "She always craves attention. Mr. Baskoro was incredibly generous to help our family, bu
CHAPTER 103: A Daughter's Choice
Rose froze. Samson's sharp, piercing question seemed to slice through the heavy silence of the villa, hitting her right in the chest.She looked at the cracked medicine bottle in Samson’s hand, then shifted her gaze to Itari, whose shoulders were still trembling from weeping. For years, Rose had built a wall of cynicism, believing that her father, Baskoro, was simply a harsh and demanding man who was difficult to please. But tonight, that illusion shattered completely.He wasn't just a harsh father. He was a monster who systematically destroyed the people around him."Rose?" Samson called out softly, his voice dropping its dangerous edge, replaced by a rare touch of gentleness as he observed her pale face.Rose drew a deep, ragged breath, her hands trembling slightly before she tightly clenched them into fists. When she raised her head, the habitual mask of the cold, unyielding director of Roseland Corp was firmly back in place, though her eyes glinted with a mix of pain and fury."I
CHAPTER 102: Shattered Fragments
"Bianca, this is Mrs. Itari," Samson said, introducing her to the teenager."Hello, Auntie. I'm Bianca," she said, forcing a stiff smile. Her hands were visibly white-knuckled as she clutched the edge of Samson's jacket.Samson noticed her immediate apprehension around unfamiliar faces. "Let me walk you to your room first, okay? That way you can get some rest," he offered gently."But you won't leave again, right, Daddy?" Bianca asked, her eyes clouding with restlessness."No. I'll be resting right here on the sofa. You can find me here whenever you look," Samson replied, gently patting her head.The girl nodded and rose from her seat. "Mrs. Itari, I will escort Bianca first. We can talk further when I return," Samson noted."Yes, of course, Sam," Itari replied, still visibly bewildered.As Samson led Bianca away, Itari remained standing in the foyer, her eyes locked on their retreating figures."Good heavens, is that girl truly Samson's daughter?" Itari murmured to herself. "So, that
CHAPTER 101: Tangled Alliances
Exactly twelve minutes later, a dull white city car pulled over slowly at a dark, secluded section of the road, directly beneath the overpass. Its primary headlights were cut, leaving only the dim glow of the parking lights cutting through the gloom.Samson moved with lightning-fast reflexes. He opened the front passenger door, slipped inside, and pulled it shut with absolute silence.Clara, who was sporting a loose bomber jacket and oversized sunglasses to obscure her identity, stomped on the gas pedal the exact second she heard the door lock engage."Are you alright, Sam?" Clara asked, throwing a brief glance toward Samson as he lowered his face mask, revealing the rugged, sharp lines of his face, which still bore the residual tension of combat."I'm fine. The situation is growing increasingly volatile; Baskoro has deployed Emran into the field to intercept our plans," Samson explained, letting out a heavy exhale."They're likely beginning to lose their grip because their fabricated
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