As I was getting comfortable in my chair, Quinton's assistant knocked on the door, handing over a gift box.

"Captain Collins, Mr. Nelson wants you to wear this dress to tonight's annual gala."

Opening the box, I discovered an elegant strapless haute couture gown inside. I was taken aback. Typically, I attended these annual events as Quinton's bodyguard, not as his date, dressed to the nines in a stunning gown. Lost in thought, my phone buzzed with a message from him, telling me he'd be waiting in the grand ballroom.

Without further hesitation, I slipped into the dress and made my way to the hotel. Upon entering the main hall, I bumped into Ruth, who happened to be wearing the exact same designer dress. She deliberately tilted her head, exposing the red love bites on her neck.

"Captain Collins, when did bodyguards start dressing like this?" she mocked.

Seeing Ruth's brazenly provocative expression, I quickly figured out the situation—she was the one who had sent the dress. Ruth was Quinton’s perpetual muse and the adopted daughter of the George family. When she learned she wasn’t the true heiress, she fled abroad, deeply heartbroken. Quinton was devastated and found solace in whiskey. On that particular night, while working as a security guard at the pub, I single-handedly saved him from a rival attack during one of his drunken escapades.

Later at the hospital, Evander Fox noticed my skills and my mercenary instincts. Seeing that Quinton didn't mind my presence, he promptly offered me a hefty sum to hire me.

"Eighty thousand for six years, stay by Quinton's side as his personal bodyguard."

At the time, I had just been accused of rigging a boxing match. Jobless and drowning in debt, I accepted the offer instantly. After becoming Quinton's personal bodyguard, I was on call around the clock to ensure his safety. Six years ago, I took a bullet for him. When I regained consciousness, he was there, having never spoken of love before, but he got a cloud tattoo to symbolize his feelings for me.

Over the years, after another ambush, I lost my hearing due to an explosion. Upon waking, he tearfully confessed his fear of losing me and proposed on the spot.

"Bianca, I'll take care of you. Once you're better, we'll get married!"

But the Nelson family detested me, outright opposing our union. They believed I was beneath them, not to mention their view of me as a 'cripple' unworthy of marrying into their family. In their attempts to force me out, Quinton stood against his family to protect me.

I slowly became entangled in his seemingly profound love, waiting patiently. But instead of a wedding, I discovered a harsh truth. Quinton had kept me on as his bodyguard for so long because he found out I was the true George heiress, using me to keep me close. It was a masterstroke—ensuring Ruth maintained her position as the supposed heiress of the George family while having me fight his battles. A clever scheme that hit two birds with one stone.

The dream of marriage was shattered. I no longer desired to stay by Quinton's side.

As I stood at the entrance of the ballroom, the whispers from those drawn in by Ruth's voice settled on me like a cloud of malice.

"Bodyguards these days, playing the femme fatale, dressing up like the lady of the house."

"Isn’t Miss George supposed to be Mr. Nelson's date? This woman looks like she's trying to climb the social ladder!"

The jeers echoed in my ears. I tightly clutched the hem of my dress. Just as I was about to turn and leave, Quinton's towering silhouette appeared.

"Bianca is with me. Since when is it your business to gossip about her?"

At his words, the crowd immediately lowered their heads, falling silent.

Quinton walked over and took my hand, his voice steady and firm. “Bianca isn't just my personal bodyguard; she's like family to me.”

“Anyone who dares to talk bad about her is messing with the Nelson family!”

Family, huh? I chuckled to myself, a bit sarcastically. I looked at Quinton, who hadn't bothered to stand up for me for quite some time, ever since Ruth came back from her stint abroad and became his constant shadow at social events.

Ruth's attempt to humiliate me had obviously backfired, and she shot a glare my way. Then she pretended like nothing happened and, with a forced smile, said, “Bianca, your neck looks a bit plain. How about wearing this necklace of mine?”

I recognized the extravagant pink diamond necklace she was wearing. It was the same one Quinton had specially ordered during our business trip to Switzerland last week. He had mentioned it affectionately as a gift for our seventh anniversary.

“Bianca, girls love pink; I'm sure you'll appreciate it too!” he had said. Thinking about it now, I realized that my usual attire of all-black with no jewelry probably meant the necklace was never really meant for me.

Quinton seemed to remember his promise and offered an explanation. “Ruth's Victorian-style dress tonight needed something pink to match, so I let her borrow it for a while.”

Hiding my disappointment, I declined Ruth’s insincere offer. “No need, this color doesn’t suit me.”

The annual gala officially began, and I walked in with Quinton on my arm. As we appeared, his circle of friends greeted me enthusiastically. “Bianca, there you are! It's rare to see you dressed up—you and Quinton look great together!”

These were the friends who were aware of my relationship with Quinton and often made jokes about it. Yet, hearing their compliments, I felt no joy. I responded politely, and then quietly helped Quinton fend off the inevitable drinks that came his way.

Amidst the lively buzz of conversation and clinking glasses, Quinton’s phone rang. He returned after answering it. “Bianca, I have an urgent meeting. I'll be back shortly.”

He left, not even remembering to take me, his bodyguard. Thirty minutes passed, and there was still no sign of Quinton, nor Ruth. Feeling out of place amidst the crowd, I decided to step outside for some air.

Just then, a colleague from security told me they had been trying to reach me. I realized that I wasn’t wearing my earpiece, and Quinton hadn’t returned my new hearing aid. I headed to the car to grab my old one and then hurried back to the gala.

As I made my way back, I noticed someone acting suspiciously near the entrance. I reported it to the patrol guards and was about to follow up when something caught my eye in the adjacent ballroom.

Inside the lavishly decorated hall, an engagement ceremony was taking place. To my shock, the couple being introduced were Quinton and Ruth. Childhood sweethearts of equal standing, finally pledging their lives together.

Quinton’s parents were present, publicly announcing the union of the two families. Quinton’s mother spotted me and cast a scornful glance my way. “Our Ruth is so gracious, a perfect fit to be the daughter-in-law of the Nelson family. Unlike some women who, despite being just bodyguards, dare to entertain fantasies of grandeur!”

I stood frozen at the entrance, my mind blank. Slowly, it sank in that Quinton was genuinely engaged to someone else. It was as if my heart had been brutally torn apart, the pain was overwhelming.

I didn’t stay to watch Quinton celebrating with his beloved. Feeling utterly crushed, I quickly made my way out. Yet I had barely taken a few steps when Ruth intercepted me.

“Don’t rush off so quickly, Bianca,” she said.

With nobody else around, her façade dropped away. With a winner’s smirk, she looked at me and said, “You saw it all, didn’t you? Quinton and I are engaged!”

“You’re just his plaything of a bodyguard, nothing more. The Nelson family will never accept you. You’d be wise to make your exit sooner rather than later!”