"What honor do I have to be visited by you?" James replied.
"I am here for business. Can I come inside?"
James glanced at the two big men with Lena and then back at her. He knew she doesn"t mean anything bad so he let her in.
Lena sat down in the living room while James went to get some water. Noah and Kye stood by the entrance.
James put the cups of water on the table and sat across Lena.
"I am glad that you are well, Miss. Shen." Jame paused.
"You don"t have to call that, after all, you are no longer working for the Shen family. You can just call me Lena."
James was hesitant to call her that. "I am sorry that I was not able to protect you properly as I should have."
Lena smiled and chuckled a bit. "This is why I like you."
James just looked at her confusingly.
"Actually this is the reason why I am here. I know my father dismissed you from your duties, but I want you to be my bodyguard."
James was shocked. She still wanted him even though he had failed his duty to protect her? He glanced toward the two guards to see if they had any reaction knowing their master wanted someone different than them.
"Don"t worry about them." Lena took a sip of the water. "They are my new bodyguards, hired by my father. But with you, I want you on my personal payroll."
James seriously looked at Lena, trying to figure out what she was thinking.
"Trust me, I will be sure my father will get the news of this that I visited you today and the content of my visitation." Lena stared at the two men, who tried really hard not to make it like that was false.
Shen Mao is their real boss, and it was also their jobs to report the movements of Miss. Shen back to their boss.
"Or are you worried about me not being able to pay you?" Lena asked.
"That is not it." James quickly replied. He knew that Lena had started running some business of her own and definitely does not need her to leech off her parents" wealth.
"If I am paying you, I"ll know that you will be loyal to me."
"But why me? There are definitely more competent bodyguards you can hire."
"That"s true. But they are not you. During the time you have been with me, you have cared for me more than the big paycheck you receive in the end. You are a person with morals in your lifestyle and your work."
James continued to listen.
"I need someone who can protect me physically and mentally. He should know when to do as told, but also refute when needed."
"Let me think about it."
"Take your time. You"ll know how to contact me when you are ready."
Lena left with her bodyguard. James cleaned up the water and sat back down to think about the offer.
James has extensive talent in combat and other skills. Lena had only been the second person he had been officially a.s.signed to guard. He would be considered a newbie in the field of bodyguard.
Along with the mark that he was fired from that job, it was difficult for him to get another job. He could easily enter "other" businesses considered his skills but promised to never enter that kind of business after losing his wife and unborn child.
And like Lena had said, he has his own morals that he followed. He hoped to become a bodyguard to protect people to redeem himself from his bad mistakes. However, Lena made him feel that his world was not always about redemption but personal perseverance.
If he could protect someone, then he would protect someone like Lena, who was a growing pup in a world of hungry wolves. Many young women would have already been mentally broken down after such similar trauma, but now Lena. She was already back on her feet stronger than ever.
James walked over to a wall that had a big portrait of his wedding photo. He stared at the beautiful reflection of his wife.
"Would our daughter have been this strong too?" James smiled at the picture.