Chapter 175: Natalie’s Offer

"Ryan, will John never return?" Natalie asked after a moment.

"He won’t," Ryan replied without hesitation.

Natalie fell silent. Since John was one of Justin’s people, she had no choice but to accept his decision.

Ryan glanced at her through the rearview mirror and said, "Ms. Natalie, more than anyone else, Mr. Harper must be upset with John would no longer be by his side. John was his most trusted and cherished man—sometimes more like a brother. But there are things even Mr. Harper can’t change. I hope you won’t hold it against him."

Natalie stayed quiet.

Ryan continued, "Mr. Harper may not show it, and he has to keep his kindness in check, but he cares about all of us. Please don’t judge him just because of the situation with John. Even John would never blame him. If I were in John’s place, I’d do the same and accept my punishment without any word asked."

"I wonder if you people are working for businessman or a underworld Don to have such rules," Natalie mumbled to herself.

Ryan kept quiet, focussed on the driving.

After inspecting the home, she sent a message to the owner, confirming the house was ready for move-in, and then returned to her office.

As she stepped into the lobby on her office floor, someone was waiting there.

"Ms. Natalie."

A familiar voice caught her attention, and she turned quickly toward the source. Stunned, she froze in place, unable to believe her eyes.

John.

He stood there, alive and well, looking just as she remembered.

He approached her and bowed his head slightly. "I came to visit you one last time. I hope you don’t mind."

Natalie snapped back to her senses, feeling as if the heavy weight that had been suffocating her had finally been lifted, allowing her to breathe freely again.

"John... you’re alright?" she asked, still struggling to find the right words. All this time, she had thought the worst—that he had been killed—based on the way Justin and Ryan had spoken about him.

"I am," he replied. But Natalie noticed that his face looked pale, his usual vitality faded. His aura felt weaker, and she could sense that whatever punishment he had endured before being dismissed must have been severe.

"Come with me." She turned and led him to her office, John quietly following behind.

Natalie took a seat at her desk and gestured to him. "Have a seat."

"I’m fine, Ms. Natalie. I won’t take much of your time," John said politely. "I only came to apologize for failing in my duty to protect you. I believe Ryan will protect you better—he’s more capable than I ever was."

"Do you really believe you failed to protect me?" Natalie asked, her voice calm but probing.

Without hesitation, John nodded. "Yes, I failed."

Natalie understood—there was no room for mistakes in their world, even if they had been unintentional.

She sighed softly. "I was worried you were dead or worse. But I’m glad to see you alive."

John gave her a regretful smile. "It would have been easier if it were death. But... failure is a heavier burden." He paused, then straightened. "I’ll take my leave now. I wish for your safety always."

He bowed deeply, a farewell gesture, and turned to leave.

"John!" Natalie called after him.

He stopped and looked back at her. "Yes, Ms. Natalie?"

"Where will you go after this?" she asked.

"I haven’t decided yet," he answered.

"How about you work for me then?" Natalie suggested.

John looked at her in surprise as she continued, "Be my personal bodyguard. I’ll pay you as much as your previous boss did."

"I’d like to, but Mr. Harper might not like it. I’ll have to decline your offer, Ms. Natalie."

"He’s not my husband for real, and he has no control over my decisions. He freed you from his service, which means you’re free to do whatever you want."

"Even though I’m no longer working for him, my life still belongs to him. I’ll always do what he wants me to do," John replied firmly.

Natalie studied him in silence and then mumbled, "I wonder what kind of weed he feeds you all to make you so loyal."

"When you understand the kind of person he is, you’d feel the same, Ms. Natalie. We’re all willing to die for him, follow him blindly—even if it leads us off a cliff to fall down from it. Mr. Harper is everything to us."

Natalie realized there was no way to shake John’s loyalty. "Did he tell you that you’re not allowed to work for me or warn you to stay away from me?"

"No, he didn’t," John answered.

Natalie picked up her phone, dialed a number, and put it on speaker. Soon, a deep, magnetic voice answered.

"Hmm?"

"John is here to apologize to me. I’ve asked him to work for me as my personal bodyguard. Do you mind?"

"He doesn’t work for me anymore. What he does doesn’t concern me." Came the reply from other side.

"Thank you."

Natalie hung up the call and looked at John. "Did you hear that?"

John nodded.

"Then?"

"I’ll do as you say, Ms. Natalie," he replied politely and thought, ’Though I can’t be with Mr Harper ever, I will protect the woman important to him. That way I can repay him for everything he did for me.’

"First, rest and heal. Then come back here," Natalie instructed.

John looked at her in disbelief, wondering how she could tell he was injured when he hadn’t shown any signs of it.

"I’m fine," he insisted. "I’ll start once I settle a few things."

Natalie didn’t press the matter.

she thought.

"Alright. I’ll wait for you to return."

John left, and she leaned back in her chair, feeling a sense of relief that he had come to her.

she wondered.