The Bodyguard (Hosie)

Chapter 19

Her father wanted her to rest right away but Josie wasn't having it. As worn out and sore as she was, she knew she wouldn't be able to fall asleep until her father explained everything to her. It infuriated her that Hope had known something was up all along. Her bodyguard had been in cahoots with whatever her father had been doing and she was the only fool who was kept in the dark. But this 'fool' status of hers was going to end tonight.

"I'm all ears, Dad." She said, refusing to budge from the leather chair in her father's study. "What secrets have you been keeping form me?"

Her father heaved a deep sigh. "There are things I can't tell you, Josie."

"But you told Hope!"

"I didn't tell her anything about it. She only came to suspect something after the men attacked you in Japan."

Josie's eyes grew wide. "You mean, they weren't just thieves?"

"I'm afraid not."

Josie felt quite sick suddenly. "Dad, did you do something wrong?"

"I didn't."

"Then why?"

"I can't give away too many details, but you will see it in the news soon."

"The news?" Josie didn't know if her father was fibbing or not.

"Yes, it will be all over the papers once the prosecutors get a warrant to search the offices."

"You're confusing me, Dad."

"I'll put it simply." Her father rubbed his face, looking ten years older all of a sudden. "Some very powerful people have been dishonest in conducting their business. They've been cutting cost with cheap and unregulated dyes that are harmful to people who are in contact with the fabrics. And some corrupt politicians have been helping them to cover it up."

"So you're a spy?"

"Not really. I was in the position to help the investigation so I helped with what I could. There was some risk in doing this but I have been trying my best to protect you from possible threats. When you were kidnapped from the gala, I had been ready to hand over the information necessary to prosecute them but I held my information back until you were rescued."

"So when Hope asked those questions... it was about this?"

Her father nodded slowly.

"Which means Hope knew that I was in danger right from the beginning?"

"She is the kind of bodyguard who would be expecting danger."

Her father's words brought back Hope's explanation of the various types of bodyguards to Josie and it disturbed her. "Why didn't you stop it? Why did you continue to help when you knew I was in danger?"

"Josie, I know what you must be thinking but let me tell you that it isn't like that."

"How is it not? You knew I was at risk but you did it anyway."

"I knew you were at risk so I took extra measures to protect you."

"You could have stopped helping. They wouldn't have come after me then."

"But that would mean we lose the chance to stop the wrongdoings."

A flare of anger blasted its way through Josie's mind and body. Boy, did she hate the world right now. She hated Hope for ditching her right after saving her. She hated her father for obviously caring more about saving strangers than his own daughter. She hated the horrible kidnapper who gave her hell for twenty four hours. And most of all, she hated herself for wishing her bodyguard was here to hold her hand again.

"Maybe it's an honorable thing to do in your mind," said Josie as she stood up in a huff, "but for me, you're the worst father anyone can ever have." The image of her father's stunned expression blazed her eyes but she was too mad to care as she stormed out of the study to her bedroom. Slamming the door with all her fury, Josie locked it and marched straight into her bathroom. Whenever she was fuming mad, a long, relaxing bath always helped.

-----

The night did not go well. Josie woke up a few times in a cold sweat, clutching for a hand that wasn't even there and found it hard to sleep again. By the time morning came, she was tired, grumpy and shaken. She was in no shape for work so she called in to say she wasn't coming in and deflected all questions about why she cannot be contacted yesterday–a benefit of being the owner of the business.

Lunch was awaiting her when she went downstairs. She had slept part breakfast as well as the midday sun so lunch was really more like tea but even then her appetite was poor. A few bites of salad and slices of beef were all she stomached before leaving the dining table. Her father did not approve but he did not press the matter after she shot him a glare that could melt iron and steel.

She was oddly annoyed when her brother and sister called in from overseas to check if she was okay. Of course she was, she told both of them and shut most of their questions. She didn't know why she was behaving this way–she had always loved talking to her siblings, her sister especially–and it made her crankier. Wishing to escape from anything that walked on two legs, Josie retreated back to her room and locked the door. But the click of the door locking triggered a flashback of the dingy shed she had been stuck in and she found herself trembling from the chain of memories that followed. Weak. Why was she so weak? Fuck this. She was going to take another bath.

-----

By night time, Josie's stomach was growling but she had no wish to leave her room even though her father and various staff in the household had come by several times to knock on her door. Each time they knocked, she would yell for them to go away and throw the nearest object at the door if they persisted. But her stomach's protest wasn't going to quit even if she yelled of threw things at it so she had no choice but to sneak out of her room and down to the kitchen to grab some food.

As she rounded the corner, she heard sound coming from the kitchen. Her heart thumped as a streak of cold zapped through her chest and she pressed herself against the wall for fear of an intruder. But was she overreacting? What if it was just a member of the kitchen staff? It would be totally stupid if she was spooked by her cook or someone like that, right? So with a gust of bravado, Josie marched straight into the kitchen and switched on the light. The person in it turned, reacting with little more than widened eyes but Josie found herself screaming.

"Shh, it's just me. It's okay."

Hope. Oh my God. Hope.