Chapter one hundred and twenty three

“Ma’am,” a deep voice said behind Cleopatra. She turned to see her bodyguard, a tall and imposing figure with a stern expression.

“Yes?” she said, her voice dripping with slight annoyance.

“Remember your mission, ma’am,” the bodyguard said. “You need to get close to Rhys and win his trust. You can’t let personal feelings get in the way.”

Cleopatra’s eyes narrowed. “I know that,” she said. “But it’s not easy when he’s so clearly smitten with that… that…”

“Elena,” the bodyguard supplied.

“Yes, Elena,” Cleopatra spat. “She’s just a distraction, a obstacle in my path. I’ll get rid of her soon enough.”

The bodyguard raised an eyebrow. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, ma’am,” he said. “We need to keep a low profile, gather intelligence and wait for the right moment to strike. We can’t afford to draw attention to ourselves.”

Cleopatra’s eyes flashed with anger. “You’re just a bodyguard,” she said. “You don’t know the first thing about strategy or tactics. I’ll do what it takes to complete