Chapter 4: Bodyguard

Everything happened in a blink of an eye. That same day, I found myself signing the marriage certificate. I was now married to a stranger. I didn't even see his full name. Sigh!

Then, Alfred paid my father's debt. I didn't know where he got the money, and I was not interested to know, so I didn't ask. What made me wonder was those black men who suddenly appeared out of nowhere. First, at the bar, and the second was when I was in trouble with Robert. I was now suspicious if Alfred was a member of a gangster or a syndicate.

"We're here," Alfred mumbled as we arrived at the condominium where he brought me the first time we met. He got out of the car and opened the door for me. Then, we took the elevator to his condo unit.

Right after we entered his unit, he held my arm. 

"Ouch!" I screeched. It was painful. I could see the hand mark bruises caused by Robert's grasp. I forgot about it already, but when Alfred touched it, I felt the pain again.

Then, he led me to his room. He told me to sit down on the bed. I was wondering what we're going to do. We just got married, and we're alone in his room. 

Are we gonna do it now? I asked myself. My heart raced at the thought. I could feel that my cheeks flushed. Luckily, he was busy getting something from his cabinet.

I snapped out of my trance when he came back to me, carrying a... medicine kit?

Then, he opened the medicine kit and took out a tube. That's the only time I realized what he was going to do. What were you thinking, Hannah? I smirked at myself.

After he got the tube, he put aside the medicine kit. Then, he crouched before me and started applying the ointment to the reddish mark on my arm. It stung, but I didn't dare to move. I even held my breath. 

He was so close that I couldn't help but stare at his exquisite face. He seemed so serious with his knitted brows. I gazed at his cheeks. It's my first time to see a man without a trace of pores on his face. He's really handsome. I thought.

"Don't stare at me." He muttered in a cold yet gentle voice, but it startled me. My heart pounded hard in my chest.

"W-Who's staring at you?" I played dumb. Thank goodness, he didn't lift his eyes on me, or he would see how guilty I was as I blushed.

There followed a moment of awkward silence. He didn't utter a single word, nor did I. I just turned my eyes on my arm and watched him applying the ointment on my skin.

Fortunately, the men in black came at the right time, or else Alfred might be beaten to death by Robert's men, and that rascal would really take me back with him. Wait, speaking of those men in black.

"Who are those men in black who came earlier?" I asked curiously as I looked at him.

He looked up at me. My eyes met his cold, steely eyes. Weird. I felt the strange sensation again as I experienced an unknown force absorbing my whole being. I averted my gaze before I got lost again under his stare.

"They are my friends. I'm one of them. If you're going to ask what our job is, we work as bodyguards." He answered casually.

I nodded my head. Now I understand, and I found it interesting. It means that he knew a lot about self-defense. Maybe that's why he appeared to be so brave earlier as he talked to Robert. Well, looking at his physique, he really seemed to be strong. I should not have worried about him earlier.

After a while, he was done applying the ointment. He stood up and turned without throwing me a look. He said. "Let's go."

I let out a deep sigh as we went out of his room. I couldn't understand, but I felt suffocated by his presence.

"How did you afford to buy a car and own this condo unit? How much is your salary?" I inquired as I looked around. The unit had two bedrooms, a living room, a dining area, and another door that I guessed was the kitchen. In my calculation, this kind of unit was not affordable.

I heard that Alfred cleared his throat as he sat down on the couch. "It's not mine, it's my friend's unit, and he also owns the car."

I nodded my head repeatedly. "Oh, I see. Your friend was so generous to let you use his things, huh?" 

"Yeah, not only he's generous, but he's also rich and handsome."  He uttered. He seemed to be proud of his friend. Well, if I also had this kind of friend like him, I would be proud of him as well.

"You mentioned earlier that you're a bodyguard? Bodyguard of whom?" I asked as I sat down as well. Funny, as we got married first before getting to know these things.

Alfred leisurely crossed his legs. "This friend of mine that I just mentioned to you."

My brows raised. "Really? How does it feel to have a rich friend and work under him?"

He grinned. "Well, it's great. As you can see, he's so generous to me."

I suddenly felt interested in his friend. "Can you introduce me to your friend?"

He arched his brow. "I doubt. He's a very private man. It's not easy to meet him."

My forehead creased. "Private man? Who is he?"

He leaned forward and whispered. "He's the President of the Prime Group of Companies."

"W-what? Wait, does it mean that your friend is Alexander Ricafort, the President of that big company?" I was shocked. I knew how big the Prime Group of Companies was. It owned all the largest shopping malls in the country.

And who would not know the famous Alexander Ricafort? He's indeed a private man as he had never shown his face to anyone. Even the media failed to have a face-to-face interview with him.

"You guessed it right."

"If I cannot meet him, can you at least recommend me to him to give me a job?"

Alfred coughed until his face blushed.

"Are you alright? Do you need water? Wait, I'll just get you." I said as I immediately went to the kitchen.

After a while, I came back with a glass of cold water. Alfred was no longer coughing, but he still drank half of it.

"What? Are you going to recommend me to your friend? I lost a job recently, and I badly need one. Besides, how am I going to pay you if I don't have a job." I asked again. I was desperate to find another job.

"Sure, no problem." He agreed and smiled.

"Thank you." I giggled as I held his hand with both of my hands.