Chapter 142
AU: The Heiress and The Bodyguard Part 8
Thanks to Wakako, the business dinner proceeded without a hitch. Miki’s dress remained spotless, and everything went smoothly.
As they’d suspected, it had been a complete diversion. Someone had stolen the assistant’s phone to call Lin Lin, trying to separate the bodyguards. Unfortunately for them, they hadn’t known the exact number of hired bodyguards, nor Wakako’s capabilities.
The only casualty was the assistant herself, knocked unconscious when her phone was stolen. She was now recovering in the hospital.
Too busy to visit personally, Miki sent other company representatives to convey her concern.
As the assistant had been their point of contact, Lin Lin went to the hospital out of courtesy.
She saw the assistant’s head wrapped in bandages, yet despite the severity of her injuries, she seemed strangely cheerful. Lin Lin couldn’t help but ask: “Why are you so happy despite being injured?”
“Am I?” The assistant coughed lightly, unable to suppress her smile. “You must be imagining it.”
The more she denied it, the more curious Lin Lin became. When others had left, she whispered: “Were you not really hurt?”
“Of course I was,” The assistant’s cheerful facade cracked. “My head still hurts! When I recover, I’m getting an IQ test. If I’ve been knocked stupid, I’m suing those bastards!”
“Then why are you smiling?”
The assistant looked around, then leaned in conspiratorially, “This was a work injury, so Miss Miki had the company approve compensation.”
“Oh? How much?”
“I can’t say,” the assistant replied, “but it’s enough for me to never work again. Hehe.”
She giggled uncontrollably.
Lin Lin: …I can’t compete with you rich people.
Wait a second—Wakako was injured too! And instead of accepting compensation, she asked for nothing but a room with a better view?
Are you love-struck fools so blinded by love that you don’t even care about money??
…
Most executives had several assistants – Miki’s preference for minimal staff was rare.
But with her only assistant on sick leave, while the work was easily delegated, her personal needs still required attention.
Miki stared at a document in front of her—a single thin sheet of paper containing a concise summary of Wakako’s life.
Wakako: an orphan adopted by a welfare institution under the Kitagawa Group, which was why her legal surname was Kitagawa. Later recruited into the Alpha Squad due to her exceptional talent, she became a mercenary bodyguard.
Due to her profession, she spoke multiple languages but had never attended school.
Special skills: close combat, virtually unmatched in the industry
Hobbies: cooking and eating.
She had once anonymously participated in an international eating competition, winning first place and setting a record for consuming 70 Big Macs.
Miki paused, recalling the first day the two had arrived, watching Wakako eat three bowls of noodles on the security cameras.
…So she really wasn’t feeling hungry that day.
Miki reread the document several times.
An ordinary, yet extraordinary life. Working as a bodyguard, a dangerous profession, since the age of eighteen.
Was it because she had grown up relying on physical strength that she developed such a simple-minded personality?
…Otherwise, why would she constantly fantasize about love at first sight and fated encounters? What is this, a romance novel?
Before anyone entered, Miki tucked the paper into her drawer.
Moments later, a soft knock sounded. “Knock, knock, knock.”
Wakako peeked her head in cautiously and only stepped inside after receiving permission, carrying a tray with Miki’s tea.
“Your tea, Miss,” Wakako whispered, suddenly aware of her sweaty palms. No! I can’t stain Miss Miki’s teapot!
She carefully held the teapot by the handle and placed it on the desk.
She couldn’t stop thinking about yesterday when Miki had asked her:
“Would you be willing to act as my assistant for a few days?”
“No need to handle work matters, just run errands,” Miki had said calmly. “Of course, there’s no pressure. It’s entirely up to you.”
Up to her?
She desperately wanted to stay by Miss Miki’s side every moment.
So Wakako had stuttered her agreement, then lay sleepless that night, still wide-eyed at 2 AM. “Lin Lin.”
Her drowsy shimei: “What?”
Wakako: “There are so many people in the company. Why would she choose me, a bodyguard, to be her assistant?”
Lin Lin: “…Maybe she just needs someone to run errands, and you’re already here?”
Wakako: “No! I don’t believe it! She must have seen my skills and chosen me because she trusts me! Waaah is this what they call mutual attraction?”
Lin Lin: “Maybe she just needs someone to serve tea while the assistant’s away?”
Wakako: “But there are so many other people! Why me? Does Miss Miki think I’m special?”
Lin Lin: “…If being lovesick was a crime, you’d get a life sentence.”
With that, Lin Lin pulled the blanket over her head, leaving Wakako grinning foolishly in bed.
Hehe.
Miss Miki’s assistant!
Hehehehehe.
Despite her sleepless night, Wakako was full of energy the next day.
Unlike a bodyguard, who mostly stood guard, an assistant had to fetch things, run errands, relay messages… It was a busy job, and others couldn’t understand why she was always smiling.
But Wakako was thrilled.
In just one morning, she felt she understood Miss Miki better.
She now knew that Miki ate sweets to maintain her energy levels, preferred hot barley tea, and subtly frowned before pointing out errors in others’ work…
These small, insignificant details brought her immense joy.
After another group of executives left, Miki called Wakako to bring a blanket: “I’m going to take a short nap. Wake me in half an hour.”
There was a small bed in the office. The assistant had mentioned that Miki intentionally kept it simple to avoid getting too comfortable and losing focus on work.
Soon, Wakako heard soft, even breathing coming from the office. Miki had fallen asleep.
She sat quietly outside, making no sound, careful not to disturb her.
Suddenly, her phone screen lit up. Lin Lin was calling. Fortunately, Wakako had set her phone to silent, so it didn’t interrupt the nap inside.
She declined the call and texted back: “Type it.”
Lin Lin: “Carol just contacted me. We have a new potential client who wants us to break our contract.”
Wakako: “Break our contract?”
This was practically a foreign concept to her.
Lin Lin: “Our current contract requires us to protect Miss Miki until the business event. But this new client is willing to pay a hefty penalty for us to terminate early.”
She sent a number. The amount was exorbitant, hundreds of times their usual fee. Enough to live lavishly for the rest of their lives, even for generations to come.
Lin Lin: “It’s a ridiculous amount of money, so Carol wants to discuss it with you. It’s our earnings; the team will respect our decision.”
Their team was the best in the industry. With less than three days until the event, finding equally qualified replacements on such short notice would be difficult.
Lin Lin: “Honestly, I’m tempted. But our team has a reputation for honoring our contracts. I feel like it would be wrong to abandon Miss Miki like this. What do you think, Shijie?”
In the short time they had been working for Miki, she had been attacked repeatedly. Now, someone was offering a fortune for them to leave. It was hard not to suspect foul play.
Wakako paused, then replied: “What’s the client’s contact information?”
Protocol dictated that the client’s representative meet with the bodyguards beforehand.
Lin Lin sent a phone number.
Wakako quietly slipped out, found a secluded spot, and made a call. By the time she returned, Miki’s half-hour nap was over.
She entered the office and gently woke Miki: “Miss, it’s time.”
Miki opened her eyes to that familiar face with its innocent smile and prominent dimples.
She tried reading something in Wakako’s expression.
But it was as if nothing had happened.
Wakako’s instincts suggested Miss Miki wanted to say something, but as the afternoon meeting began without Miki mentioning anything, she assumed she had been mistaken.
This meeting was highly confidential; Wakako wasn’t needed.
Taking advantage of the free time, Wakako took the elevator downstairs and made another call.
She had arranged to meet someone fifteen minutes away from the headquarters. She hadn’t expected them to arrive so quickly.
“Later,” Wakako hailed a taxi, telling Lin Lin on the phone, “Let me meet with them first.”
Lin Lin: “Okay. I spent the morning at the hospital with the assistant and I’m on my way back now. Do you want me to join you? I can take a taxi.”
Wakako: “No, I can handle it myself.”
Lin Lin: “Alright, call me when you’re done.”
“Mm.” Wakako checked the time, doing a quick calculation. “I’ll call you in twenty minutes.”
Then she hung up.
In the backseat, Wakako carefully smoothed her clothes, removing wrinkles to look presentable.
Especially around her waist.
Fifteen minutes to get there, five minutes to take care of business… Yes, that should be enough time.
