The Brat and his Bodyguard (BxB)

“No! I don’t need a personal bodyguard, Dad!” A young adult of about twenty years old standing in front of a man in his sixties who seemed to be his father. “Whether you like it or not, you need a bodyguard and that is my final decision,” the man insisted. “I am an adult now, I can also decide for myself.” “Yes, you can! But if for your safety, it’s my decision.” “I’m sorry, Dad! But I won’t. I know you already assigned people to keep following me, but a personal bodyguard is too much. I need my privacy and what made you decide to give me a personal bodyguard? Nothing will happen to me.” “You don’t know everything.” “Then let me know!” He runs his fingers on his hair. “Since uncle Wei is gone you seem different. Is there anything you’re hiding from me, Dad?” “Nothing! Just listen to me. Your new bodyguard is coming this week.” “No! I’m telling you, Dad. You are just wasting money on those bodyguards.” He said, picking up the leather jacket that he hung on the back of the chair. “I’m leaving!” And he quickly stormed out of the library door. “Zach..” The man called him. “Zachary!” he shouted his name while trying to chase him, but he was too fast to get downstairs to the garage and drive his new model convertible sports car. He is Zachary Del Fierro, a twenty-one-year-old graduating student of Ardmore University. A candidate for summa c*m laude. Brat, his friends call him and those who are close to him, but he is different from the typical brat that everyone knows. He is an obedient son according to his father, Raphael Del Fierro, but having a bodyguard is an exception. The day Raphael Del Fierro decided to assign a bodyguard to him was against his will. According to Raphael, he must protect him as he is precious to him, and as the sole heir of the Del Fierro Group of Companies, his life is in danger. Zachary also loves drag racing. Raphael is against his hobby as it is dangerous, but he manages to convince his Dad that he will be safe and it’s just his pastime when he is not busy at school. Sports became his way to vent all his emotions when he had no one to talk with. “He is not the kid from fifteen years ago. He is an adult now.” Raphael turned towards the direction where the voice came from. He saw the butler of the mansion. “But he needs to be safe. He needs someone to protect him, Zandro.” Raphael said to the butler. He is Zandro Huang, a Chinese butler of the mansion since Raphael's parents are still alive. They treated him like family. “I knew that, but we cannot force him to do what we wanted. He is an adult now who wants privacy. He has just turned twenty-one and a young adult like him is the most aggressive and impulsive.” Raphael heaves a sigh. “He only listens to Wei when he is still alive.” “That’s not true! He always listens to you when he thinks what you are saying is for his good,” Zandro said, looking at him intently. “Are you still jealous of Wei? He is gone now and I think Zach is still looking for his presence. Let us give him space for now. It’s not a year yet since his godfather passed away.” “I am not jealous, I am thankful that Wei helped a lot to nurture him since he was a kid.” “And fill those times of your absence when he needs you from school activities and even your duty as a father because you are busy expanding your business.” “Zandro?!” “Am I right?” Zandro smirked at him. “It hurts, but that’s the truth. I witnessed how Zachary cries when you’re not able to attend his school activities and he is happy when Wei comes as his guardian. I know that you are giving all the material things that he wants to cover your shortcomings, but your presence and love are more valuable than those material things. Nothing is more precious than showing your love and care for him.” Raphael fell in silence. He knows that Zandro is telling the truth. He missed a lot of times that he was supposed to be with Zachary. He is busy expanding his family’s business as, according to him, it is for his son's future. Ardmore City, in Rodriguez Tower, a group of four handsome guys is gathered in a private office on the top floor of the building. They are the men behind the “four aces” of the Rodriguez Group of Companies. They are called “four aces” as everything under the company will go through them. All the decisions and planning with regards to the company depend on them, since their father, Benedict Rodriguez, retired from being the CEO of the company. Jason, the eldest, acted as the CEO of the company, while Michael and Andrew were assigned to different departments. Ethan is the youngest and his priority is their security agency. He is the one who trains those who will join the agency, especially those who will work as an agent or private investigator. The agency is just their front to cover up their real work as private investigators. They have a connection to the authorities under the Crime and Investigation Department, led by their uncle Ferdie, Benedict’s cousin. “Congratulations, bro! Well done!” Jason came and congratulated Ethan and did the fist bump on him. “Thank you, Bro!” he responds. Andrew and Michael did the same. “Well done!” they commented. After a while, Jason handed him a file folder. Ethan’s brows furrowed. “What’s this?” “New assignment,” Jason responded as he went back to his chair. “Again?!” he said, complaining. He just came back from his assignment. He was sent to Italy to investigate a certain businessman who was suspected to have a connection to a group of people engaged in drug trafficking. His work is successful as he gathered data and pieces of evidence that prove the man is guilty. A few days ago, when the businessman arrived in the city, authorities captured him, and now he is waiting for the trial. “Uh, uh! You said you would handle the agency as you told us, you like the investigative job so....” Andrew said liked wriggling his forefinger towards him. “So what?!” he threw a death glare at Andrew. “I want you to do the job personally,” Jason said. “Open the file, Bro, so you will know the job. That is an exciting job, I know,” Michael said, chuckling. “But I am not the only one who can handle this job, right?” he said with arms opened. “I and Andrew have a new assignment too.” Michael sipped his coffee. After his response, Ethan looked at Jason begging. “Sorry, Dad asked me to fix the problem with the company. Someone trying to sabotage the bidding preparations.” He pouted and leaned back in his swivel chair as he opened the file. He unconsciously swallowed his saliva as he looked at the details of his next assignment. Name: Zachary del Fierro Age: 21 Occupation: student at Ardmore University. The sole heir of del Fierro's Group of Companies. Ethan reads the information written in the file and stares at the photo attached to it. He hasn’t finished reading it when Michael speaks. “Do you find him pretty?” Michael noticed how Ethan stared at the file and teased him. “He is a graduating student at Ardmore University and a candidate for Summa c*m Laude. Aside from that, he loves drag racing. I think you two will get along as you also love similar sports.” Ethan threw a death glare at his brother. “It is written here.” He smirked, raising the file, telling Michael that he had read all the things he just said. Ethan loves car racing. He tried to join the racing team when he was still at university, but due to conflicting schedules, he dropped it. He prioritized his studies but sometimes he would do drag racing with his friends. “You will work as his bodyguard. He is a brat and doesn’t like bodyguards. According to Mr del Fierro, he would always find ways to fire or make his bodyguards leave their jobs. I assigned you that assignment as I know how committed you are to your work and you never surrender attitude.” Jason explains to him. “You're just five years older than him, so I am thinking that maybe you two are a match in everything. “Well, seems that I have no choice, so I will accept the job. But why does Mr del Fiero need a bodyguard for him?” “There is a group suspected to be a mafia that wanted to get his son. According to the report from our asset, Zachary del Fierro caught interest from that group as he is suspected to be the key to his godfather's hidden wealth. Remember the late Xiao Wei? A Chinese national who is famous for doing charity work? A philanthropist?” Jason explained as he walked from his chair and sat on the sofa joining them. Ethan nodded. He remembers, “Who can ever forget such a good man?” He once attended Xiao Wei's charity event. “He is Zachary del Fierro's godfather and, according to Mr del Fierro, they are very close, so that made people mistake them as father and son,” Jason added. “So how does their closeness lead those groups to think he is the key to his hidden wealth?” Ethan asked in curiosity. “That’s what we are trying to find out.” Andrew butted in. “As his bodyguard, you are a big help to find any clue why they are pursuing that kid.” “Is he aware that his life is in danger?” Ethan asked. “He is, but he is stubborn and he doesn’t have any idea that a group of people wanted to kidnap him because of his godfather’s hidden wealth,” Jason added. “How do these people know that Mr. Xiao left such wealth. It is hidden, so I’m not sure if there is this wealth or not.” “Our asset reported, according to his investigation, that Mr. Xiao owns tons of gold bars left by his late grandfather who was a treasure hunter. His grandfather, according to the story, is one of those people who hunted treasures left by the Japanese after World War I.” Jason explains as he turns on the projector to show them all the reports they receive about Mr. Xiao's hidden wealth. “We are not sure if the said treasure is true as no one can prove it, nothing, even a single picture to show that he is hiding such huge wealth. The biggest priority now is the safety of Mr del Fierro’s son.” “So, I'm not sure yet if there is that wealth?” “That's why we are sending you to be the bodyguard of Mr del Fierro’s son to investigate. You have to find out if he knows about it and the location of the said wealth.” “Tssshh! Okay! Do I have to start as soon as possible?” “Up to you!” Jason responds. He nodded and continued reading the file, but his eyes were tempted to look at the picture of Zachary. “Michael is right. He is pretty handsome. So rare for a man to look pretty like him. “ he thought! “The mole under his lip made him cuter.” Ethan shook his head. “Tssshh! What am I thinking?”