Taeyeon stayed on her feet until the doors were closed and Mr. Hwang was seated, only sitting when he invited her to.

“I hope my daughter did not give you too much trouble in Singapore.”

Instances of all the tantrums and drunkenness flashed across her mind. “Not too much, Mr. Hwang.”

The elder man sighed. “What is it you wanted to talk about then? I hope you are not going to resign.”

“We have a three-month contract. I will not break it before that. But you seem to be expecting it. Did this happen with the other bodyguards too?”

“Tiffany doesn’t like being followed around. She hates being watched.”

“That is understandable.”

“But I have doted on her too much.” Mr. Hwang sighed again. “I am glad you understand. But if it is not about resigning, what is it about?”

“There are many types of bodyguards. Some are mainly for deterrence or ‘display’, as we call it, and some are for protection from real threats to life.” Taeyeon paused and fixed a stare straight into Mr. Hwang’s eyes. “When you hired me, there was no mention of any impending life threats but based on our conversation after the incident, I have reason to believe that you were expecting something to happen. Most people typically hire bodyguards like me only when there is genuine threat to them. But I think, in your case, it is a little more than that, am I right?”

Mr. Hwang closed his eyes. In that moment, he looked as though he had aged another ten years. “You are right,” he said at last, sounding defeated. “I was expecting it.”

“Usually, clients will inform their security about such matters. I would like to know why you withheld this information.”

“It is highly confidential.”

Taeyeon frowned. “We have a non-disclosure clause in our contracts. You shouldn’t have to worry about loose lips.”

“It involves corruption and some government officials. I cannot say more but I will tell you frankly that I have received veiled threats on my youngest daughter’s life.” His eyes closed again. “Actually, it is more than that.” His lips trembled. “They promised to make her suffer before she dies.”

“I see.”

“I did not think they would dare to do anything to her in Singapore. So I was glad to let her go on that trip. But perhaps, they thought it would be easier because there would be lesser security present.”

“She is very lucky that I went back to her room when I did.”

“I cannot thank you enough for saving her life. So I hope you will continue to protect her for the rest of your contract.”

“Will the threat be removed within three months?”

Mr. Hwang nodded. “The arrests should take place within this time.”

“You are a brave and noble man, Mr. Hwang.”

He shook his head. “I am a terrible father.”

“She will be proud of you if she knows.”

Mr. Hwang chuckled. “Will she stop trying to get rid of her bodyguards if she knows?”

Taeyeon smiled. “Maybe.”

“I have already said too much. But I trust you. Please take care of my daughter.”

“I will. Don’t worry.”

¤¤¤

Now that they were back in Seoul, security was much harder to penetrate. Everyone, from her chauffeur to the butler, was security personnel. Having all these people around was definitely a strong defence against the threat, but Taeyeon knew that it was down to her if anyone managed to get close enough to Tiffany. She was confident in her abilities but Tiffany not knowing about the real threat she faced, was a problem. This wasn’t something within her control however, so what she could do was be more alert than ever.

In some cases, Taeyeon would also probe discreetly, getting in contact with a few friends who were still involved in gangs, or the officer she had fought with, to get information. But due to the confidentiality of Mr. Hwang’s case, Taeyeon approached the only friend she could really trust to keep her updated on the latest hit-jobs—Lee. She had a long history with her, ever since one particularly brutal fight in which they had taken a blow for each other. However, unlike Taeyeon, Lee had ended up joining a gan