MY PERFECT BODY GUARD CHAPTER FORTY FOUR: SHATTERED ALLEGIANCE

Richard awoke from a prolonged slumber, realizing he was securely bound to a bed. Despite his attempts to rise, the ropes resisted his strength. A figure, a male doctor with feminine traits, approached.

"Don't strain yourself; these ropes are formidable. A mere glance won't break them, let alone a human," the doctor remarked.

"Where am I?" Richard inquired.

"Be grateful; I prioritized saving your life first," the doctor responded.

As they conversed, Gloria walked in, and Richard observed his surroundings, realizing he was not in a hospital but a warehouse.

"What do you want from me?" Richard questioned.

"I thought you wanted me dead," he said to Gloria.

"Killing you would be a waste of talents," Gloria replied, settling beside Richard and running her fingers through his hair.

"Imagine both of us working together. We would be an unstoppable force to reckon with," Gloria suggested, continuing to caress Richard, who struggled to free himself.

"Get your hands off me," Richard demanded.

"What makes you think I would want to work for you?" he asked defiantly.

As they continued their conversation, Gloria reasoned with Richard, emphasizing their shared victimhood due to the Jim family's selfishness.

"Jim couldn't share his company with me; he wanted everything for himself. And his daughter, Linda, she doesn't care about anything, especially not you. She sees you as her pet," Gloria claimed, her tone filled with disdain.

"You don't know anything about Linda," Richard defended. "She's a good person, more caring than you could ever be."

Gloria stood up, laughing. "I'm pretty sure she doesn't know anything about you. Has she ever asked about your dad or tried to know anything about your personal life?"

"No, she didn't, because she only thinks of herself," Gloria asserted.

"You don't know that," Richard replied.

"I know you're Kendrick's son, one of the heroes of this country. You have his traits, but you're on the wrong side of the war. If you choose to follow me, I'll give your life more meaning than she ever did," Gloria offered.

Richard scoffed, "Meaning? I'd rather die than live the life you want for me. I'm already perfect with Linda."

Gloria, frustrated, called for the doctor to bring in the boxes and begin their work. Richard was alarmed by the number of doctors surrounding him, asking what was happening.

"Well, if I can't have you this way, then I'll wipe your memory out of existence," Gloria declared. Richard struggled against the ropes as the doctor injected a dose into him, causing him to pass out.

"Once you don't have any memory of your past, I'll give you a new memory to fight for," Gloria declared, setting the stage for a dramatic turn in Richard's fate.

After enduring hours of torture and numerous injections, it took two days for the substances to take effect on Richard. He slept for an additional three days, leaving everyone waiting anxiously for his awakening. When he finally stirred, Gloria was there, ready to impart his new memories in a private setting.

"Who are you, and what am I doing here?" Richard asked, disoriented.

"Take it easy, Richard. You're hurt pretty bad," Gloria replied, assisting him to sit on the bed. She offered him some medicine to alleviate the headache.

"My name is Gloria, and you were my bodyguard, my closest and most trusting ally. Unfortunately, my enemies hurt you so badly that you lost all your memories," she explained. "You were a great fighter and a sharpshooter, and everyone was jealous of you," Gloria added, weaving a fabricated past for Richard.

"It's a lot to take in," Richard admitted. "I need to rest."

"Of course, you need some rest. Just know that the people who hurt you are still out there, and we need to strike back," Gloria emphasized, setting the stage for a new chapter in Richard's altered reality.

As Richard lay on his bed, attempting to think, he found his head throbbing with pain, preventing coherent thoughts. Eventually, flashes of people shooting at him surfaced in his mind, but their faces remained elusive.

Convinced that Gloria might be telling the truth, Richard got up and knocked on her office door. Upon entering, he questioned, "You said some people were after me?"

"Of course, they almost killed you. If not for me, you could have died," Gloria affirmed. "But now, we can take revenge."

"When do we start dealing with them?" Richard inquired.

A satisfied smile crossed Gloria's face, realizing that her plan had worked seamlessly.

As Richard and the other security personnel gathered in the room, they were instructed not to reveal anything about Richard's past. They suited up, preparing for their upcoming mission, when Gloria entered.

"The politicians and the government have turned their backs on us, but we must prove that we are stronger without their support," Gloria declared. "The mayor's sent men to seize the majority of the tech we've produced, and my source indicates that Victor and Lucas are among them. The war has begun."

A wave of determination swept through the security team after Gloria's impassioned speech. They quickly geared up, with Richard equipping himself with his gun and bow and arrow, ready to face the challenges ahead.

Upon reaching the Prime Tech Company, they discovered that the enemies had already fled with 500 bikes and 250 of the latest car models. The pursuit began immediately, and Gloria's men raced after the thieves who were still on the road.

In a daring move, Richard, unwilling to be left behind, pulled himself out of the car and climbed on top through the window, surprising everyone with his audacity. Taking charge, he armed his bow and arrow, targeting the car carrying the stolen goods. With precision, he deflated four tires, forcing the car to a sudden halt. As the opposing men retaliated with gunfire, Richard swiftly drew another arrow, this one containing a bomb, and struck one of the cars they were using as a shield.

The resulting explosion created chaos, injuring many. Gloria's men strategically covered ground, maintaining intense gunfire. In the midst of the skirmish, the mayor's men, overwhelmed, began to retreat. Gloria's team persisted, gradually regaining control of the situation, ultimately retrieving what had been taken from the company.

The mission was far from over as Richard and Gloria's security team headed towards Victor's house. Victor, anticipating their arrival, didn't extend a warm welcome, leading to an intense gunfight between his men and Gloria's team.

Richard, taking a strategic approach, circled to the back of the house, launching a surprise attack from behind. In a swift and intense confrontation, he skillfully subdued numerous opponents with his bow, adding a bomb-tipped arrow for a devastating impact on the front of Victor's apartment, causing widespread destruction.

The fight reached a high level of intensity, and Victor, overwhelmed, fled from his own house. The resilience and talent displayed by Richard amazed Gloria's men.

"Thank goodness he's on our side," one of the men remarked, acknowledging Richard's crucial role in the successful assault.

Gloria, seizing the moment, made a call to the mayor.

"I believe this message is clear enough to show that I'm not as weak as you may have thought. Never cross my path again," she asserted, leaving a powerful warning that resonated with determination.

"The game is far from over, Gloria," the mayor retorted. 

"Of course, it is. I simply wanted to demonstrate my readiness. Now that you've chosen an unconventional path, it only fuels my determination to play my cards the way I see fit. Trust me, I'm thoroughly enjoying this game," Gloria responded, her confidence shining through as the power struggle between them continued.