MY PERFECT BODYGUARD CHAPTER FIFTY TWO :BRIDGES OF BOND

In the morning, Doris finds herself on her bed, smiling as she reflects on the kiss she shared with Richard. Despite recognizing that the kiss was prompted by heightened tension and emotions, she experiences a sense of relief. It feels like a reassuring sign that Richard may no longer harbor resentment towards her, even though their romantic relationship is no longer part of the equation.

As Doris emerged from her room, she spotted Richard clearing the compound. "Good morning, Doris," he greeted, turning to acknowledge her. "Hope you had a nice night's sleep."

"Of course I did. What about you?" Doris replied.

"Yeah, me too. About last night, we kinda did something, and honestly, at that moment, I wasn't thinking straight. Not that I didn't enjoy the kiss, but you know, I shouldn't have done it, considering we don't have a thing, you know?" Richard confessed, appearing shy and a bit flustered.

Recognizing Richard's unease, Doris walked up to him and gave him a comforting hug. "Hey, it's fine. You sound like it's your first kiss," she teased with a laugh, and Richard nodded in agreement.

"That's cute," Doris added, easing the tension with a lighthearted remark.

"Friends?" Doris suggested.

"Yeah, of course, friends," Richard agreed.

"So, you wanna tell me about her?" Doris inquired.

"About who?"

"The girl you talked about last night, the one you were fighting for."

"Oh, you mean Linda," Richard said.

"Is that her name?" Doris responded.

"Yeah, she's amazingly intelligent. I thought I wanted a career as a bodyguard, but I never knew what drove me to fight for her was love," Richard shared, prompting a laugh from Doris.

"You know, if you didn't act on that love, do you think she would be alive till this moment? It was your love for her that made you strong enough to defend her," Doris pointed out.

"Well, I don't know if she's still alive. Gloria has her, and I don't think there's anything I can do," Richard admitted with a hint of helplessness.

"I don't know if you can do something for her or not, but one thing I know is that she needs you more than anyone in the world," Doris expressed.

"I don't think she needs me," Richard replied.

“Why do you say so?” Doris asked.

"I just don't feel like she needs me. If she actually did, maybe we both wouldn't be in the situation we are, especially her. I'm happy I met you, but she's in Gloria's custody. If only she had listened to me, what happened could not have happened. She made a fool out of me and said my opinion never mattered to her. It made me feel so useless because I put my life on the line for her, left my family to fight for her cause, and all she said was I didn't know what it feels like to have something to lose. Do you know how that sounds?" Richard shared, revealing his frustration and sense of betrayal.

"In as much as she made me feel that way, I still have this voice in my head, this large part of me that is still rooting for her," Richard admitted, laughing with a hint of anger. "This part of me is still crazily in love with her and wants to get back to her. But in the end, what will I get in return? Another set of hurtful words," he concluded, expressing the internal conflict and emotional turmoil he's grappling with.

"Hey, Richard, I know what it's like to do something for love, and it feels stupid. What you're doing for her is not stupid; it shows your strength and how powerful you are. It's no sign of weakness; it's a sign that you're human and a good person. Believe me, every girl would kill for such a guy—every girl.

As much as I want you to stay, I can't lie to you that you need to get back to the city to save her," Doris advised. Richard looked at her, smiling, and said thanks.

After their conversation, Richard went inside to pack his things. After packing, he had breakfast with Hana and Doris, a happy and warm moment filled with laughter. Hana packed a lot of local food for Richard, and she even handed him a significant amount of money.

"I've been saving this for something that may seem very important," she said. "You brought back that smile I've been longing to see, and now I have to repay you," Hana added as Richard accepted the gift, expressing his gratitude.

"Thanks, ma'am. I'm really grateful. I will come again and stay for some time once everything is over," Richard promised.

"Of course, please make sure you come," Hana replied, hugging Richard. After their conversation, Doris helped Richard with his bag as they walked to the river to board a boat.

"To be honest, I'm really gonna miss you," Richard admitted.

"Me too," Doris responded, feeling happy that Richard felt that way. "So make sure you come around once you become the CEO of the company," Doris said as Richard laughed.

"I promise I will be back," Richard assured her. Doris went to him and pecked him on the cheek.

"Please make sure you stay alive," Doris said as Richard entered the boat, waving goodbye to her as she waved back. Richard now sets on his journey back to the city to complete his mission.