More Secrets

Travis left the chairman's office, the weight of the brown envelope heavy in his hands. Inside was the laminated copy of the agreement he had just made with Gregory Harrington—an agreement that had more implications than he'd initially realized. 

He sighed deeply, shoving the envelope under his arm as he made his way toward the grand staircase that led to the rooms upstairs. His mind drifted back to the day he first arrived at the estate. It wasn't a memory he particularly wanted to relive.

As Travis prepared to continue up the stairs, the envelope was suddenly tugged out from under his arm. He spun around, ready to react, but it was too late. Penelope had already swiped the document and was standing a few feet away, eyes scanning through the papers.

Her expression shifted as she read, her brow furrowing with every new clause she came across. Travis folded his arms and leaned against the hand railing, watching as she returned, still holding the document in disbelief.

"What does this mean?" Penelope finally managed to ask, her voice trembling slightly. "And why does the chairman's seal make this feel... permanent?"

Travis exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. "It's pretty much what you just read. The chairman wants me to train his daughter—to shape her into a positive leader or whatever. I didn't tell you about it because, honestly, I was expecting you to freak out. Not... shut down."

Penelope's face was pale, her hands trembling as she clutched the envelope. "Does Levi know about this?"

Travis didn't answer right away, but before he could say anything, Penelope's voice rose, her frustration clear.

"You didn't tell him, did you?" Her eyes almost crazy. 

"No," Travis admitted. "I didn't have the chance. You all threw me into that midnight test, remember? I wanted to talk to you both before making a decision."

Penelope's face turned serious as she shook her head. "You need to understand something, Travis. The chairman may seem like a good man, but every businessman finds loopholes, especially when there's a deal like this involved. This seal..." She held up the paper, pointing to the stamped emblem at the bottom. "This seal means there's no backing out if things go wrong."

Travis was taken aback by her intensity. He had assumed this deal was a challenge, but now, seeing Penelope's reaction, he was beginning to question just how much was really at stake.

"You're overreacting," Travis said, trying to calm her down. "I'm just supposed to make Amanda a better person. How bad could it be?"

But Penelope wasn't having it. "You don't get it," she said, her voice shaky. "Let's go find Levi. He needs to know about this."

Travis followed as Penelope led the way toward Levi's quarters. She was clearly distressed, and the more she talked about the contract, the more Travis wondered if he had made a mistake agreeing to the chairman's terms.

When they arrived, Levi was already expecting them, his usual calm demeanor masking any surprise as he glanced at the document Penelope handed him. He skimmed through the pages, then folded the paper neatly before turning to Travis.

"So," Levi began, "it's done."

Travis nodded. "Yeah. I signed the deal. But I still don't understand why you're both acting like it's such a big deal. What's the worst that could happen?"

Levi sighed, leaning back in his chair. "The worst that could happen? Let's just say, you're not the first person the chairman's made an agreement with. And you won't be the last. But trust me, there's more to the chair—sorry—Harrington family than meets the eye."

Penelope was pacing the room, clearly agitated. "You should have told him, Levi. You should have warned him before he signed anything!"

"Warned me about what?" Travis asked, growing frustrated. He was tired of being left in the dark.

Levi's gaze softened, and he motioned for Travis to sit. "Listen, Travis, there's nothing to be afraid of. As long as you do your job and keep your emotions in check, you'll be fine."

"My emotions?" Travis echoed, confused.

Levi met his eyes, his tone growing serious. "Just don't fall in love with the chairman's daughter."

Travis scoffed, shaking his head. "Fall in love with Amanda? Not a chance. She hates me. And frankly, the feeling's mutual."

Levi chuckled, though there was no humor in it. "You're not the first to make that claim, kid. But the situation's more complicated than you think."

Travis frowned, leaning forward. "What do you mean?"

Levi glanced at Penelope before continuing. "About four years ago, after the chairman's son left the house, Amanda—well, she wasn't always like this. She used to be a sweet girl. But with her father constantly working, her mother spending more time at spas than with her, and her brother gone, she started acting out. Causing trouble whenever she could."

Penelope, who had been silent until now, spoke up, her voice bitter. "Nothing worked. Not prep schools, not private tutors, not even behaviour specialists. The chairman was at his wits' end."

"Then," Levi continued, "two years ago, after she turned twenty, the chairman hired a young therapist. He was good at his job—maybe too good. Because Amanda fell in love with him. And that was the beginning of the end."

Travis stared at them, processing the information. "What happened to him?"

"That's the part we don't know," Levi said quietly. "One day, the chairman found out about the relationship, and the therapist disappeared. We haven't seen or heard from him since."

Penelope's voice was thick with guilt. "I was in charge of Amanda back then. I thought I could help her. I should have seen it coming, but I didn't. I still blame myself for what happened."

Travis's stomach twisted. He hadn't considered how dangerous this situation could be. But now, with this new information, the stakes felt much higher.

"So," Travis said cautiously, "what happens if the chairman decides I'm not 'good enough' for the job?" He said, emphasis on the 'good enough'.

Levi's expression darkened. "If he thinks you're a threat to his daughter, he'll get rid of you. And I don't mean a polite dismissal."

Travis's throat tightened. This was bigger than just training a spoiled heiress. If he failed, it could mean more than just losing his job. He'd have to be careful—very careful.

"Does Amanda know about the deal?" Travis asked, trying to gather as much information as possible.

"Not yet," Levi replied. "But she will soon enough. And you should keep an eye out for Chris Miller, her ex-boyfriend. He's the son of the chairman's rival, Benedict Miller, and he's still lingering around. You'll probably run into him when you start escorting Amanda to school."

Travis nodded slowly, absorbing the information. "Chris Miller. Got it."

Penelope finally broke her silence, her voice soft but determined. "Travis, I'm not going to let anything happen to you. Not again. If you're going to do this, we'll make sure you're prepared."

Travis smiled, feeling a sense of camaraderie despite the gravity of the situation. "Thanks, Sis."

Penelope froze at the familiar term, her eyes widening in surprise. But then she smiled, a real, genuine smile. "I'll tell you everything I know about Amanda—her past, her habits, her likes and dislikes. If you're going to do this, you're going to do it right."

---

The next morning, Travis was up early. By 4:30 a.m., he had already finished his morning mantras and workout. He brushed his teeth and, still in his workout clothes, marched toward the main house. The other guards were just waking up as Travis made his way through the corridors, his mind focused on the task ahead.

He arrived outside Amanda's room by 5:30 a.m. and knocked softly. There was no response. He knocked again, but still nothing. After a moment of hesitation, Travis muttered an excuse under his breath and opened the door.

The room was dark, the heavy pink curtains blocking out the early morning sunlight. The air conditioner hummed softly, making the already cold room feel like a freezer. Travis glanced around before spotting Amanda, buried under a pile of blankets, pillows and plusishs on her oversized bed. She wore a sleeping mask, her face peaceful in sleep.

"Who needs an air conditioner in winter?" Travis muttered to himself, shaking his head.

He reached over and pulled the heavy duvet off her. Amanda instinctively curled into a ball, her hands blindly searching for the missing covers. "Chris... I'm cold," she mumbled in her sleep, her voice soft and vulnerable. Without warning, her hand found Travis's, and she snuggled against it, sighing contentedly.

Travis froze, completely caught off guard. But then, as if a switch had flipped, Amanda's eyes flew open beneath her night mask. She ripped it off, her messy hair falling into her face, and when she saw who was standing over her, she screamed.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Amanda screeched, scrambling away from him.

Travis couldn't help but smirk, taking a step closer as she backed away. "You can scream all you want, but I'm in charge of you now, Amanda. Daddy's orders."

Her eyes widened in horror as his words sank in.

And so, the ill-fated relationship between Travis O'Neil and Amanda Harrington began.