Chapter 3: Val, The Sexy Bodyguard
I stepped into the hallway and locked the door behind me, slipping the key into my pocket out of sheer habit, even though I knew I’d probably never need it again.
As we walked down the corridor, the door across from mine creaked open. Big John stepped out carrying a trash bag, looking half-asleep.
"Hey, Big John!" I grinned, waving cheerfully. "I’m heading out. Take care of yourself, buddy."
John froze, instantly wide awake. His eyes bounced wildly between me, the two enormous men in tailored suits, and the elegant blonde walking beside me. His mouth slowly fell open, but we turned the corner before he could manage to utter a single word.
When we reached the street, I had to stop for a second to take it all in.
Four identical, polished black luxury sedans were parked right outside my run-down building. Their gleaming bodies stood out like alien spacecraft against the cracked pavement and the faded, peeling brick walls around them.
I could see the window curtains shifting as my neighbors peeked out, whispering to one another and staring at the convoy in absolute disbelief.
With one final look at the crumbling building I used to call home, I climbed into the rear seat of the lead car. The door shut with a solid, satisfying thud, instantly cutting off all the street noise and replacing it with the rich, comforting scent of fresh leather.
Valerie slid into the front passenger seat, spoke quietly into her earpiece, and moments later, the convoy smoothly pulled away.
Forty minutes later, the city was a distant memory. Our convoy bypassed the crowded public terminals entirely, passing through multiple private security checkpoints before entering the restricted side of the international airport.
The cars rolled across the tarmac and came to a stop right beside a massive private jet. The Fernando family crest was proudly displayed just beneath the cockpit windows.
Two flight attendants in spotless uniforms stood waiting at the bottom of the stairs. Valerie stepped out of the car first and opened my door.
"We’ve arrived, Young Master. The flight to the capital will take approximately four hours. Your parents are waiting for you at the private hangar."
I climbed out of the car and looked up at the towering aircraft.
A massive grin slowly spread across my face.
No more files.
No more deadlines.
No more rent.
I looked at Valerie, my chest swelling with a feeling I hadn’t felt in a very long time.
Pure happiness.
"Let’s go."
...
I stepped onto the private jet and stopped for a second. The cabin looked less like an airplane and more like a luxury hotel lounge. Cream leather armchairs sat around polished wooden tables, a fully stocked bar gleamed near the back, and the warm lighting gave everything a rich, expensive glow.
I eased into one of the oversized leather chairs and nearly disappeared into it. It was softer than any couch I’d ever owned. Beside me, Valerie settled into her seat with practiced grace. Her dark cape slipped over one shoulder as she crossed her legs, the slit in her skirt revealing just enough to distract me before I forced myself to look away.
The engines rumbled to life as the jet began to taxi. I wrapped my hands around the armrests without thinking. By the time I noticed, my fingers were gripping hard enough for my knuckles to turn white.
"Young Master?" Valerie tilted her head. "You alright?"
I let out a dry chuckle, trying to hide how nervous I was. "Honestly? I’ve never been on a plane before. The closest I’ve gotten was watching them from my apartment window."
Something in her expression softened. Without making a fuss about it, she rested one hand on the armrest between us, palm up.
"Takeoff’s the rough part," she said. "If it’ll help... you can hold my hand."
"Yeah..." I smiled. "I’m not turning that offer down."
I reached out and took her hand. Her skin was incredibly soft, yet her grip was firm and reassuring, giving me an instant sense of grounding. As the jet suddenly accelerated down the tarmac and lifted into the air, I squeezed her hand, enjoying the soft warmth of her palm a little too much to care about the altitude.
A few minutes later, the climb eased and the seatbelt sign blinked off.
I let go of her hand, a little reluctantly. My fingers brushed against hers for a heartbeat before I pulled away.
"Uh... thanks."
"You can call me Val," she said, leaning back in her seat. "We’ll be spending a lot of time together anyway."
She paused for a moment before adding, "And... I’m sorry if we rushed you out of your apartment. It all happened pretty fast."
"Thanks, Val," I smiled, leaning back to copy her relaxed posture. "But don’t worry about it. I’m actually very adaptable. When you’ve spent most of your life on your own, you pick that up pretty early."
Val’s smile faded a little.
"I’m sorry," she said quietly. "If only we’d found you sooner..."
"What’s done is done, Val." I smiled. "No point dwelling on the past."
Seeing her guilt-ridden face, I changed the topic. "Though I have to say, I enjoy the company more than the flight itself."
"I’m glad to know that," she smiled faintly.
’She is professional, keeping her emotions in check most of the time while also remaining composed. It really suits her.’
I honestly expected her to answer everything with yes or no. Surprisingly, she was easy to talk to, so the ride back to the capital of Eston was pretty good for us.
I wasn’t used to boredom because my schedule was usually so busy, so having a conversation partner helped. She also explained the details of my situation, most of which I already knew, but I was grateful to understand them in greater depth.
Apparently, my new father, Julian Fernando, was the richest man in Eston and could be counted among the top ten richest people in the whole world. He had a hand in basically every industry, even having connections within the militaries of multiple nations.
Of course, that was mostly the surface-level knowledge that mundane people knew, as the Rothschilds were the true overlords of this region.
And now, I was their only male descendant.
’Wait, what? I thought I asked you for the Fernando family alone?’
[Just a coincidence.]
Like hell it was a coincidence!
[Why are you worrying so much? Just enjoy being the only male descendant of the entire Rothschild family. It’s not like they can’t pass on their inheritance to their daughters, so you’re safe from responsibilities... if you want.]
’Yeah. That is much better. So, I’ll have lots of cousins, huh.’
[Step-cousins, yes.]
I frowned, finding her words a bit weird. Still, Val was keeping my attention for the most part, so I ignored Paige for the moment.
Val told me about the desperate search my parents had carried out for two decades and how they had never given up. Even Alice, who wasn’t even my biological mother, tried her best without ever stopping.
’Man, I feel bad for them. So much money, yet they couldn’t live happily as a family.’
[Quite an irony compared to your situation, right?]
’Well, at least they had each other.’
[Doesn’t matter. Besides, now they’ll have a son to complete their family, so in a way, you’re making them happy.]
I smiled, swearing in my heart to treat them like my real parents. No, even better than that. This was my reality now.
Perhaps Val sensed that I was deep in thought, so she turned silent, giving me more than enough time to think things through and also enjoy my first ride through the air.
It was quite scary, you know. I’ve always been a bit paranoid about these things. What if the one plane I decided to board crashed? What if its engine failed?
’I guess that’s another reason why I put the save button. Wait! Can I make myself immortal?’
[Of course, you can.]
Now, that was something to think about. But I didn’t ask for it just yet and simply enjoyed the city getting smaller and smaller beneath us.
Soon, I was about to meet my family.