Elisa took the private elevator directly to the CEO’s office of A. W Group headquarters. Since its establishment, she had rarely been involved in the affairs, mostly leaving them to others to handle, including the interior design, for which she had only given a rough style and let the designers handle the rest.
The office was adorned in a simple black and white style, with various books and files on the bookshelves, somewhat resembling her previous office, divided into three areas: a reception area, a work area, and a resting area. Elisa sat in the boss’s chair, listening to the secretary’s work report.
“Miss Powell, the bodyguard you requested has arrived. He is a middle-aged man named Patrick Hart,” the secretary informed her.
After signing several documents, Elisa put down her pen and asked, “Please, bring him in.”
Patrick was the bodyguard recommended by Louis to ensure her safety. When she had urgently needed to go to the hospital the day before, she had made sure Patrick arrived at the headquarters in advance.
She trusted those recommended by Louis. As the secretary went to fetch the person, even before he entered, Elisa felt a compelling aura. There was a knock on the door.
Elisa leaned back slightly in her chair, resting her hand on the desk. “Come in.”
The man who entered was studying Elisa, and she was doing the same. He was dressed in military green, tall and robust, standing well over six feet. His face bore a conspicuous scar, and his eyes were deep and sharp as a hawk’s.
He had killed before…
Patrick was no ordinary man; he was a former special forces soldier, who had previously worked for the White family.
Elisa stood up, took three steps forward to stand in front of Patrick, and extended her hand. “Patrick, hello. I will be relying on you a lot in the future.”
Patrick shook her hand firmly and released it. His palm had calluses, and his backhand was full of scars.
“I heard from Louis that you wanted to learn some self-defense techniques,” he said.
“Yes,” Elisa replied.
Patrick shook his head and said bluntly, “With your petite frame, you’d better run if you ever encounter anything. Instead of spending time on self-defense, it’s better to focus on building your stamina through running.”
Was he being that blunt? He didn’t even leave room for Elisa to ask, “Do I stand a chance?”
“I know, from your perspective, I might not be suitable. I’m not asking for great prowess. Just as you said, the key is to have a move to run away. Isn’t self-defense about protecting oneself? Patrick, please, I’d appreciate it if you could teach me.”
“I’m a strict teacher,” Patrick warned.
“Yes, as long as you give the instructions, I promise to complete the task,” Elisa assured him.
Satisfaction gleamed in Patrick’s eyes. Elisa wasn’t as bad as he had thought. He took out a decorative ring from his pocket and handed it to Elisa. “This is a gift for you.”
Elisa took it and asked, “What is this?”
The ring was quite thick and looked like an ordinary one when worn on the finger.
“This ring has two mechanisms…” Patrick demonstrated how to use it to Elisa. She quickly caught on and wore it on her index finger, treating it like a precious item, much like the surveillance cameras and recording devices she had set up.
“Thank you, Patrick.”
Patrick shook his head. Elisa was now his employer, and he was obligated to ensure her safety and be fully prepared.
Patrick’s main task was to ensure Elisa’s safety, never letting her out of his sight, even when there was no one else in the office.
It was Elisa’s first time hiring a bodyguard, and she wasn’t accustomed to it. There were times when she felt suffocated under Patrick’s watchful eye.
Luckily, the person she had been waiting for finally arrived.
After receiving a call, the secretary turned to Elisa and said, “Miss Powell, Lorelei is here. Our security has detained her outside. Do you want to see her?”
“Of course, I have been waiting for her. Inform the security downstairs to bring her in.”
“Alright.”
After the secretary had finished informing the security, Elisa looked at the now-cooled coffee on her desk.
“Get me a fresh cup of coffee, and also brew a cup of tea for Patrick,” she instructed the secretary.
The secretary left the room.
Since X Entertainment was acquired by A. W Group, Elisa had been having someone inquire about the executive director of A. W Group every day. However, the high-level information was covered and concealed, making it impossible to access. The more difficult it was to obtain information, the more it proved the strength and power of this group.
This sudden appearance of the group had led to the shorting of a multi-billion-dollar economic company and its effortless acquisition. Lorelei began to feel anxious. After all, with the change in leadership, she knew nothing about what would happen in the future.
She was also unsure about the temperament of the new boss. Mr. Whitlock had been manageable, but dealing with someone with a powerful background would be different. If she made a mistake, would they treat her as insignificantly as one would crush an ant?
Two days of anxiety had passed, and Lorelei hadn’t seen any movement from A. W Group. Gradually, she began to calm down, realizing that she had been needlessly worried. She should think positively. She often came across statements from her fans on the internet, and she started to believe them.
A. W Group wouldn’t acquire X Entertainment for no reason. There must be something valuable in X Entertainment. Otherwise, who would take on such a mess? And among the artists in X Entertainment, she was the most valuable, with a large and loyal fan base, awards, and the title of a leading actress. Any drama of hers would be a hit.
In X Entertainment, she was a money-making machine, and she would continue to be one even under a new company. How could a businessman not value that?