CHAPTER 291: CHAPTER 290: LOVE ISN’T CHAIN

Thinking about Monica, Rex leaned back in his chair. "Send someone to keep an eye on her... from the shadows."

Victor nodded slightly. "Actually, we only confirmed it last night. Turns out the female bodyguards around her are from our own company." He said with the faintest trace of amusement in his eyes. "Not part of our high-tier units, though. They’re just ordinary ones."

He let the word ordinary hang in the air for a beat before adding with a smirk, "Well, ordinary by our standards. Which still means they’re leagues above the so-called ’elite’ teams from other agencies. You know the type... all polished boots, synchronized moves, and big reputations, but fall apart the moment things stop going according to their training manual."

Victor’s tone grew more matter-of-fact. "And by ’ordinary,’ I mean women handpicked from army special forces units, people who’ve already gone through the kind of selection process that breaks nine out of ten candidates. We recruit them only after they’ve proven themselves in the field, then put them through our own internal training program that lasts years. No shortcuts, no exceptions. They’re sharpened until every instinct is automatic, every move precise."

Victor’s tone was calm but laced with pride. "By the time they wear our badge, they’ve been forged twice over... first by the military, then by us. Other agencies call their top teams ’elite.’ For us, that’s the baseline. Even the lowest rung here would be the crown jewel anywhere else."

He spread his hands slightly. "So yes, she’s already in good hands. But if you want, we can replace them with our true elites, the ones even veteran soldiers instinctively keep their distance from. Only if Miss Monica’s comfortable with it, of course. Trust between the client and the protector is the first layer of armor."

Rex thought for a moment, then nodded. "I’ll ask her about it."

Victor continued, "Anyway, I met them last night and instructed them to take extra care of Miss Monica. But if you still feel it’s necessary..."

"Call William," Rex said flatly. "I want extra protection."

Without another word, Victor pulled out his phone, dialed, and walked a few steps away. His tone shifted as he explained the situation. William didn’t hesitate, no questions, no bargaining... just a crisp, "Understood." He promised to provide the highest standard of security immediately.

When Victor returned, he hesitated for a second, lowering his voice. "Do you want me to keep an eye on her... and send you updates?"

Rex gave a small smile, the kind that carried no bitterness, only quiet resolve. "No need," he said. "I trust her. If she ever does something... it just means we weren’t meant to walk the same road. Love can’t be chained, can’t be bent to your will, if you try to hold it too tightly, it slips through your fingers all the faster."

He rested back in his chair, his gaze calm but unwavering. "This world is far too vast to lose yourself over one person. No matter how breathtaking she is, no matter how deeply the feelings run, if it’s not mutual, I’ll let go. Love demands that both hearts lean toward each other on their own... anything else is just possession, and possession doesn’t last long."

Victor chuckled, leaning back with an approving grin, and raised a thumb. "That’s how a man should be... decisive. A real man knows when to hold on and when to walk away, and he doesn’t waste years chasing after someone who’s already made up their mind. You make your choice, you stand by it, no trembling, no second-guessing."

He shook his head with a scoff. "These days, too many so-called men can’t even make a clean decision. They’re desperate for a warm body, not a real connection. They’ll crawl, beg, even humiliate themselves just to keep someone who doesn’t respect them. That’s not love, that’s self-inflicted misery. And in the end, it only makes them weaker... softer... until they don’t even recognize themselves in the mirror."

Victor’s eyes sharpened, his tone cutting through the air like steel. "A man who can’t walk away when it’s time isn’t a man at all... he’s just a boy clinging to a fantasy."

Rex’s lips curved into a faint smirk, his gaze calm, almost detached. "Exactly. Love isn’t a chain, it’s a choice. If it isn’t mutual, forcing it is just slow poison. This world is far too big, and life far too short, to waste on someone who’s already gone in their heart." He leaned back slightly, his voice dropping to an almost casual drawl. "If she stays, it’ll be because she wants to. If she leaves... I’ll simply keep walking."

Victor gave a slow nod, a glint of respect in his eyes. "That’s the difference. Some men chase until they lose themselves. Others keep their stride no matter who’s walking beside them."

Rex didn’t answer, but the look in his eyes made it clear... his words weren’t bravado. He meant them.

Victor’s words lingered in the air, but Rex didn’t dwell on them for long. He leaned back slightly, letting the conversation fade as his gaze drifted to the clock on the wall.

8:20 a.m.

He rose from his seat, stretching his shoulders slightly. "Let’s go," he said, the words brisk but not rushed. He’d just remembered he had a meeting with the beauty trio and Elara about the group project at nine. So much had happened since last night that it had completely slipped his mind.

Victor and Kaelan fell into step beside him as they exited the suite. On the way, Victor continued where their earlier conversation had left off, recounting last night, explaining how they’d arranged everything after picking up Rex and Monica.

The three of them stepped out together, moving down the quiet hallway. Victor, as if remembering something, glanced at Rex with a half-smile. "You probably don’t remember much about how we got here last night."

Rex arched a brow. "I remember enough." Maybe, he added mentally.

(End of Chapter)