MY PERFECT BODYGUARD 2 CHAPTER FIFTEEN TENSIONS RISING

As Richard, Nina, and Emma sped away from the Falcon Fraternity, Richard struggled to move within the car, clearly feeling the weight of his injuries as he groaned in discomfort.

Upon arriving at their destination, they assisted Richard inside and carefully laid him on his bed. "Is the pain too much?" Nina inquired, her concern evident in her voice.

Richard, overwhelmed by the pain, found it difficult to muster a response, but he managed to nod his head slightly, indicating that the pain wasn't unbearable. Seeing his discomfort, Emma hurried outside to retrieve his bags, searching frantically for pain relief. Fortunately, he located some and brought it back to Richard. After taking the medication, Richard drifted off into a much-needed sleep.

Back at the party, Linda remained outside, lost in her thoughts, her gaze fixed on the skies above. Lost in her contemplation, she was startled as a figure approached her from behind and gently touched her shoulder—it was Franklin.

"Hey, I've been looking all over for you. Are you okay?" Franklin inquired with concern.

"Yes, of course, I am," Linda replied, her tone distant.

"It seems this Richard guy is causing you a lot of trouble. Do you want me to talk to him, tell him to stay away?" Franklin offered, hoping to assist.

Instead of responding directly to Franklin's question, Linda's voice trembled slightly as she spoke, "Everyone I meet, everyone I talk to, or spend time with—they all seem to fall for me deeply. They love me so much that they want to marry me."

Tears welled up in Linda's eyes as she continued, "I don't understand why Richard, the one person I hoped would see me in that way, doesn't. Instead, he treats me as though I'm the one who can't live without him."

Franklin proceeded to envelop Linda in a comforting embrace. "I don't have the words to ease your pain, but I want to express my sincere regret that you're experiencing this suffering. I want you to understand that there are people out there who care deeply about you, myself included."

"I want you to know that I'm always here for you," Franklin affirmed, his voice filled with sincerity and compassion.

Linda, moved by his words and gesture of support, tightened her embrace, feeling a sense of solace in Franklin's presence. "Thank you for sticking around," she whispered gratefully.

After a full day of sleep, Richard awoke the next morning, scanning the room and noticing Nina and Emma cuddled together on Nina's bed, both fast asleep. With a sense of consideration, he closed the door quietly, allowing them to rest peacefully, before making his way to the bathroom to take a shower, feeling the lingering ache in his body.

After finishing his shower, Richard dressed in his attire and grabbed his bow and arrow, preparing to depart. Nina noticed his movements and promptly woke Emma.

"Where are you going without us?" Emma questioned, his curiosity piqued.

"Well, initially, I was pondering how the Falcon Fraternity managed to track us down. Then it struck me that guy Linda was with at the party. They seemed close, and Gideon mentioned his plan to infiltrate the company through romance. Perhaps that guy is his spy or the one he's using to woo Linda," Richard explained.

"Wow, no wonder he was good looking," Nina remarked, eliciting a quizzical glance from Emma, eyebrows raised in surprise.

"Someone seems jealous," Nina teased, smirking at Emma's reaction.

"Well, if you're going after him, then wait for us. Let's prepare," Nina suggested again.

"I don't think that's a great idea," Richard interjected.

"Why?" Emma inquired.

"I've put you guys through harm already. I really don't want to do that again," Richard explained.

"But we don't care," Emma insisted.

"Yeah, I know, but please, I really don't think it's a good idea. Let me just handle this one alone. I promise I'll return as soon as possible," Richard said firmly as he left.

As Richard left, he made his way to Prime Tech, scanning Linda's office and noticing Franklin present as well. Instead of staying within the company premises, he ventured outside, heading towards a tall tower along the road leading away from Prime Tech. Richard positioned himself, patiently waiting for Franklin to drive by.

After several hours of waiting, Richard finally spotted Franklin driving by. With swift precision, he aimed his arrow at the tire, taking careful aim before releasing the shot. The arrow hit its mark, causing the tire to lose air rapidly and forcing Franklin's vehicle to come to a stop.

As Franklin emerged from the car and inspected the deflated tire, his nervousness was palpable upon spotting the arrow lodged within. With a sense of urgency, he hurried to retrieve a spare tire from the trunk, intent on fixing the issue. However, Richard seized the opportunity, stealthily approaching Franklin from behind.

"Surprised to see me?" Richard inquired, his presence causing Franklin to recoil in fear, his movements becoming hesitant as he moved backward.

In fear, Franklin stammered, "What do you want from me?"

"I don't want anything," Richard replied tersely. "I know Gideon sent you to Linda, but as the puppet that you are, I'm giving you a chance to leave her side immediately."

"Who are you to tell me what to do?" Franklin retorted defiantly. "She doesn't rate you anymore, and I've been the one here for her when you weren't. So, what makes you think she'll listen to you?" Franklin challenged.

Enraged by Franklin's words, Richard seized him and delivered a swift, powerful punch that sent Franklin crashing to the ground once again.

Franklin, despite bleeding from the mouth, stood up once more, displaying resilience in the face of Richard's aggression.

"She's already falling for me, and it's only a matter of time before I have her in my clutches," Franklin declared confidently. "She's all alone and in need of a confidant. She looked up to you, but instead, you treated her like dirt."

"It's better to end her pain by taking the company off her hands than to be alone fighting for it," Franklin concluded, his words laced with determination.

"You think I'm just going to stand by and let you get close to her?" Richard seethed with anger as he lunged at Franklin, delivering furious blows in a fit of rage. Despite the assault, Franklin remained passive, making no attempt to fight back as he endured Richard's onslaught.

As Richard continued to vent his fury, the sound of approaching police sirens pierced through the tense atmosphere. With a sense of urgency, Richard grabbed his bow and tire, his resolve undeterred. "I'm not done with you yet," he declared to Franklin before racing out, determined to confront whatever awaited him outside.

The police escorted Franklin to the hospital due to his extensive injuries. Upon his arrival, Linda rushed in, her panic evident as she approached Franklin, who was seated on the bed. "I came as soon as I heard what happened," Linda said, enveloping Franklin in a hug, concern etched on her face.

"What happened?" Linda inquired anxiously as the police entered the room. "Mr. Franklin, we would like to know what happened. We understand if you wish to press charges," one of the officers stated.

Franklin recounted the events, his voice strained with discomfort. "Well, a guy named Richard attacked me," he explained. Linda's expression shifted to one of shock as she processed the information.

"Why would he do that?" Linda asked, her voice trembling with disbelief.

"He said that I should stay away from you so you would be alone and only root for  him. I told him I would never leave your side because I care about you a lot, and I love you. That's when he started beating me up," Franklin recounted, his voice tinged with frustration and pain.

The police inquired if Franklin wished to press charges, to which he responded, "I don't want to press charges."

Linda, puzzled by his response, questioned, "Why not?"

"For the sake of what you both had together, I don't want to press charges," Franklin explained.

Linda's fury ignited at his words. "I do," she declared firmly, turning to the police. "We will love to press charges," she asserted, gripping Franklin's hands tightly in solidarity.