HIS BODYGUARD~
CHAPTER 1- THE CONTRACT
The rain came down in silver ropes, drenching the marble courtyard of the D’Arcavo estate
Thunder split the air in shuddering cracks, echoing through the hills like cannon fire
The iron gates stood open, smeared with blood from the earlier ambush
Three blacked-out SUVs sat riddled with bullet holes, smoke still curling from their hoods
Inside the manor, the atmosphere was even heavier than the storm
Lucien D’Arcavo stood in the hallway outside his office, wiping blood from his hands with a white silk handkerchief now ruined with red. He was in no mood for elegance tonight
Two of his most trusted men had died in the courtyard less than an hour ago. And the killers had vanished like ghosts
Daniel King (ML's Right Hand)
(Standing beside him) You lost control (Murmurs)
Daniel King (ML's Right Hand)
It won't look good to the other families
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
(Eyes cold) Then we make them forget (Walks in his office)
The room smelled of gunpowder and whiskey. A large map of the city was pinned to the wall, marked with red lines, pins, and circles—territories he controlled, and those he planned to consume
He poured a drink with a steady hand. The moment he swallowed, the door creaked open again.
Daniel King (ML's Right Hand)
(Walks inside with a figure behind him)
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
(Glances up lazily with the glass in his hand)
Black combat boots. Matte-black pants, weatherproof. Leather jacket zipped to the collar. Her hair tied back in a severe braid. No jewelry. No emotion
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
(Stares at her calmly yet with a mysterious cold aura)
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
[Her eyes....] (Frowns slightly)
Daniel King (ML's Right Hand)
(Clears his throat) Lucien. Rhea Virelis. The one you requested
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
(Arches a brow) This is Iron Vow? The infamous ex-Ghost?
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
(Steps closer, slowly circling her) You’re not what I expected
She said nothing, just kept quiet
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
Most bodyguards flinch, when I get close
Rhea Virelis (FL)
(Voice low and calm) Then you’ve had bad ones
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
(Smirks) But you’re small. And I don’t see a weapon
In a blink he felt the air shift, he didn't even see her move
His wrist twisted behind his back. The drink slipped from his fingers and shattered on the floor
Before he could react, she shoved him face-first against the wall with effortless strength
Rhea Virelis (FL)
(Mouth near his ear) I don’t need to carry weapons. I am one
Lucien stood frozen. Not in fear. In awe.
She let go. He turned slowly, rubbing his wrist. A bruise was already forming
Daniel King (ML's Right Hand)
(Tries not to smirk) Her terms are non-negotiable.
Daniel King (ML's Right Hand)
No surveillance. No questions about her past.
Daniel King (ML's Right Hand)
She picks her missions. You let her walk when she says she’s done
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
(Gaze lingers on her then he chuckles)
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
Fine. I respect a woman with boundaries
Rhea Virelis (FL)
(Tone cold) Don’t confuse boundaries for mercy
Rhea Virelis (FL)
I’m not here to make friends. I’m here to keep you alive—until I don’t have to
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
And if I decide I don’t need a guard? (Hands in his pocket)
Rhea Virelis (FL)
You hired me because you’ve run out of lives to lose
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
(Gives a small, an amused smile) You’re arrogant
Rhea Virelis (FL)
No, I’m undefeated
That night, the estate was silent. Guards rotated every ten minutes, floodlights cutting through the storm
Lucien sat in the war room, staring at the monitors
A dozen camera feeds blinked back at him, but his eyes tracked only one
She was outside, Not in her room. Not inspecting the house.
But standing under the open sky at the edge of the cliff behind the estate, unmoving, rain soaking her to the bone
No umbrella. No coat. Just her. Like the storm couldn’t touch her
Daniel King (ML's Right Hand)
(Appears beside him) You shouldn’t watch her
Daniel King (ML's Right Hand)
She doesn’t like to be seen (He added)
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
(Lights a cigarette, eyes still fixed on the screen)
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
I don’t trust anyone I haven’t seen bleed
Daniel King (ML's Right Hand)
She’s not like your usual hires
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
No,She’s something else (Murmurs)
By morning, the storm had passed, Lucien stepped out onto the front balcony, sipping coffee, gaze distant
The sky was still gray, the ground muddy, the estate eerily quiet
Rhea was already dressed and outside, sparring alone in the courtyard, moving through strikes like they were an extension of breath
Each jab, kick, pivot—measured, brutal, efficient
A few guards had gathered near the windows, pretending not to stare
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
(Watches her, bow arched, mildly amused)
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
(Mutters under his breath) Sharp as a blade… but dances like a storm
Daniel King (ML's Right Hand)
(Appears beside him, raises an eyebrow) Thinking of testing her?
Before Lucien could reply-
Gunfire cracked through the silence. A black SUV rammed through the lower gates, skidding wildly across the gravel
Five armed men spilled out, masked, aggressive, coordinated
Lucien didn’t run. He didn’t hide. He tossed his coffee aside, descended the marble stairs, and headed straight for the courtyard
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
Showtime (Mutters with a smirk)
The first man raised his rifle. Rhea ducked under the muzzle, grabbed his vest, slammed him to the stone floor, and turned his own gun against him—two sharp shots, clean through the chest
The second attacker came from her left, rushing towards her
Rhea Virelis (FL)
Idiot (Says aloud)
Catching his arm mid-swing, snapping his elbow backward, and headbutting him viciously. He collapsed with a wheeze
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
(Leaning against the pillar) You’re wasting all the fun
But she didn't respond, The third man took aim at Rhea’s back. Lucien fired once. The man dropped
Their eyes met across the chaos. Brief. Electric
Rhea Virelis (FL)
Try to keep up (Darts to strike)
The fourth man lunged at Lucien. Rhea’s leg swept him off his feet midair, and Lucien planted a boot in his chest
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
(Laughs) You’re really trying to show me up
Rhea Virelis (FL)
You make it too easy
The fifth man backed up, panicked
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
(Raises his gun) You gonna run?
Rhea Virelis (FL)
(Raises an eyebrow) You missed him
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
I let him run. Sends a better message. (Lowers his gun)
Rhea Virelis (FL)
You’re soft
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
(Chuckles) And you're terrifying
They stood in the middle of the wreckage. Five down. No mercy
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
(Steps closer) You fight like a hurricane
Rhea Virelis (FL)
(Arches an eyebrow) And you get in the way like a drunk tourist
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
(Laughs—deep, utterly amused)
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
For someone who hates company,you make one hell of a dance partner
She didn’t smile. But her stance eased. Just slightly
The guards finally arrived—too late
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
(Waves them off) Clean them off (Turns to Rhea)
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
You’re not what I expected (Spoke quieter)
Rhea Virelis (FL)
No one ever is
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
(Grin curves with intrigue) Next time, save me a target. I’m starting to enjoy this
CHAPTER 2-THE RULES OF HER FIRE
Lucien D’Arcavo was used to owning the room. His presence demanded it—tailored suits, iron stare, the kind of silence that made lesser men confess sins they hadn’t committed
Rhea Virelis entered the war room with no fanfare, no nod of respect, no wasted breath
She walked in like she belonged there. Like she didn’t need permission.
Lucien watched her from behind the conference table, lips curled faintly. She wore black again
The guards posted by the doors glanced at her like they were staring into a loaded gun
Daniel King (ML's Right Hand)
(Flipping through a folder)
Daniel King (ML's Right Hand)
We’ve tightened security on the southern docks
Daniel King (ML's Right Hand)
But there’s chatter about a shipment coming through the Solano routes. Possibly armed.
Rhea Virelis (FL)
(Leans over the table and taps on a red mark on the map)
Rhea Virelis (FL)
They’re baiting you. That path’s too exposed. They want you to send men there so they can bleed them out in pieces
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
(Raises an eyebrow) You’re Sure?
She didn’t answer. She just stared at the mark. Cold. Unwavering
Daniel King (ML's Right Hand)
(Narrows his eyes) What would you suggest?
Rhea Virelis (FL)
Shut down the docks for seventy-two hours,Force them to get desperate.
Rhea Virelis (FL)
They’ll move. Then you watch the west line. They’ll come crawling
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
(Leans back in his chair, studying her) You like pressure. Makes you sharper
Rhea Virelis (FL)
I don’t like anything, I survive it
The silence that followed wasn’t awkward. It was sharp. Like a blade left on the table
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
(Stands up, walking around to her side)
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
Most people who talk strategy in my house want to impress me
Rhea Virelis (FL)
I don’t work for your approval
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
No (Murmurs, voice quiet and amused)
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
You work for my survival
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
(Stops close enough to feel the tension in the air)
Rhea Virelis (FL)
You’re pushing boundaries to see if I’ll break. I won’t
His smile was slow. Dangerous
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
Good. I like people who bite
Rhea Virelis (FL)
(Meets his gaze) Bite too close, you lose a hand
Daniel King (ML's Right Hand)
(Clears his throat) We still have to address the internal breach
Rhea Virelis (FL)
You have a mole. It’s someone close.
Rhea Virelis (FL)
They knew your gate rotation. You're timing. Your layout
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
(Eyes Darkens) You think it’s one of mine?
Rhea Virelis (FL)
It always is
Later that night, the estate buzzed with tension. Every light burned. Every hall echoed with whispers
Rhea moved through the estate like a ghost—silent, efficient, terrifying
But what no one expected—what Lucien didn’t expect—was what happened at midnight
Rhea was already moving before the second note rang out. Lucien rushed behind her, half-dressed and barefoot, following the sound.
They burst into the hallway outside the guest quarters
One of Lucien’s lieutenants was pinned to the wall, knife at his throat, held by a man with a jagged tattoo across his temple
Attacker 01
I’ll kill him! I swear—
Rhea didn’t hesitate. She launched forward like a shadow snapping loose
A flash of silver. Her foot connected with the attacker’s jaw before he could blink. The blade clattered across the floor
Lucien watched—stunned—as she spun the man around, slammed him against the floor, and dislocated both arms in one fluid motion.
Rhea Virelis (FL)
You made it into the estate, Tell me how (Spoke calmly)
He screamed again as she drove a knee into his spine
Rhea Virelis (FL)
HOW? (Spoke Dangerously Loud)
Attacker 01
Back—back gate! Inside help!
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
(Jaw tightens) Names
Attacker 01
I don’t—know—please!
Rhea Virelis (FL)
(Hand wraps around his neck) You came for blood. Now choke on it
Lucien stepped forward, grabbing her wrist—not forcefully, but enough
Rhea Virelis (FL)
(Looks up, breathing hard)
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
He’s useless now, we got what we need (Says quietly)
For a moment, her fingers stayed on the man’s throat. Then she let go
Blood trickled from her knuckles. Not her own
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
(Barks at them) Lock him up. Double guard the cells. No visitors. Not even rats
The guards scrambled to obey
Lucien turned back to Rhea, who had already walked into the moonlight outside.He followed her
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
You would’ve killed him (Hands in his pockets)
Rhea Virelis (FL)
(Doesn't look back) I’ve killed for less
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
You were… different just now
Rhea Virelis (FL)
(Smirks for a second but doesn't say anything)
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
(Stares at her) You weren’t afraid. Not even for a second
Rhea Virelis (FL)
Fear makes you hesitate. Hesitation gets people killed
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
You weren’t just calm, you were enjoying it
A muscle in her jaw twitched
Rhea Virelis (FL)
He broke the rules. I remind people what it costs
They stood in silence under the moon. The wind pulled at her braid. Blood still glistened on her hand
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
You could’ve been a goddamn queen of death if you wanted to
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
(Steps closer to her)
Rhea Virelis (FL)
(Looks at him dead in the eyes) I still could be
And that—that—was the moment Lucien realized
She wasn’t just a bodyguard
She was a storm, a weapon, a warning dressed in human skin
And he wasn’t just fascinated anymore
CHAPTER 3 - SILENT EYES
The night after the attack passed with an eerie stillness. Lucien didn’t sleep
He paced the balcony of his estate, shirt half-buttoned, cigarette burning between his fingers—but untouched
The world was quiet. Too quiet. Like it knew something had shifted
Inside the surveillance room, twelve monitors played a silent loop
Every hallway, every gate, every corner. But only one screen held his attention
She was alone in the eastern courtyard, kneeling, cleaning her gun under the moonlight
No wasted movement. Every motion sharp, practiced, brutal in its grace
Lucien leaned closer to the screen
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
She doesn’t blink (Mutters to himself)
Daniel King (ML's Right Hand)
Would you, if you lived like her? (Standing behind him, arms crossed)
Lucien didn’t answer. He watched her adjust the sight on her weapon, test the clip, slide it into place without so much as a pause
Daniel King (ML's Right Hand)
She’s not like your old guards
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
No (Barely a whisper) She’s not like anyone
At dawn, Lucien found her again
She was in the lower courtyard now, sharpening a blade with rhythmic strokes. Her expression was unreadable—stoic, focused
She didn’t acknowledge his approach, but he knew she heard him. She always did.
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
You ever rest? (Asks her from a short distance)
Rhea Virelis (FL)
(Doesn't look up) Rest is a luxury. I don’t waste time on luxuries
Lucien leaned against the stone railing, watching her work
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
I’ve seen killers, soldiers, and bodyguards. None of them move like you
Rhea Virelis (FL)
That supposed to be flattery?
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
No, It's observation
Silence hung between them like a blade
Rhea Virelis (FL)
I need eyes at the eastern docks tonight, there’s movement in the dark
Rhea Virelis (FL)
Someone’s watching the estate
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
Already doubled the men, But I'll put Daniel in, too
Rhea Virelis (FL)
You trust Daniel?
She nodded once, as if filing it away
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
(Steps closer, voice lower) And what about you? Do you trust anyone?
He expected that. Still, hearing it made something in his chest tighten
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
Not even me?
She stopped sharpening. Looked up. Their eyes locked
Rhea Virelis (FL)
I trust what you’ll do if I fail. You’ll replace me
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
(Exhales slowly) You’re wrong
Rhea Virelis (FL)
(Eyes narrow) Am I?
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
(Takes a step closer) I’ve never had anyone like you under my roof
Rhea Virelis (FL)
I’m not under your roof, I’m over your grave, if it comes to that
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
(Smiles darkly) You talk about death so casually.
Rhea Virelis (FL)
I live beside it. It’s the only thing that doesn’t lie
Lucien D’Arcavo Delacroix (ML)
You always this poetic before sunrise?
She sheathed the blade and stood. Taller than he expected. Steadier than anyone had a right to be after everything she’d done the night before
Rhea Virelis (FL)
No, Usually I'm bleeding by now
Rhea Virelis (FL)
(Walks past him without another word)
And Lucien stood there, watching her go, realizing something that made his fingers curl around the railing
She didn’t need protection
But he wanted to protect her anyway
And that, he knew, was the first sign of danger
Download MangaToon APP on App Store and Google Play
