Chapter 28 Not her style
Karen showered and slept soundly after touring the house. Despite its small size, it boasted an ultra-modern gym and a swimming pool she hesitated to approach. The house had only one bedroom, but the bed was plush and inviting.
A few hours later, she awoke and showered again, preparing for the day even though it was still dawn. When she entered the kitchen, she was surprised to find Van already there.
"Good morning, sleepyhead. You're up earlier than I expected," he greeted her.
"You're back." She embraced him quickly, and he smiled. "Yes, there's a lot to do because training needs to be done on an empty stomach."
"Are you going to train me yourself?" She hoped he would, but he shook his head.
"Not yet," he replied. She was too weak for him, and he might accidentally injure her.
"For this week, I've arranged for a trainer. If you don't grasp the basics by then, you'll have to pay for the services. But if you do, the bill is on me," he explained casually.
Karen took a deep breath. Van's motivational approach was more intricate than she had anticipated. "I don't have up to 10k in my account, so I'm at your mercy."
"Then don't disappoint me," Van said seriously as a knock sounded at the door.
Van answered the door, and when Karen saw the woman who entered, she felt a lump form in her throat. The woman had her hair in a ponytail and was dressed in crop top and sweatpants, showcasing her well-defined muscles.
Even though she was facing a woman, it felt like she was looking at a man. "This is Cathy, your trainer for the week."
"Are you expecting me to fight with her?" Karen asked hesitantly.
"No, I want her to train you for the next two hours. What you need to understand is that while bodyguards are costly, they can also be unreliable. As human as they are, they can be bought. I'll return for the progress report," Van explained before leaving without waiting for a response.
It was evident that he didn't want to witness the training session. Not all bodyguards were like Roger. Their loyalty was questionable, and even if she made enough money as she dreamed, having a bodyguard, according to Van, was out of the question.
"Have you had any training before?" Cathy asked. Karen shook her head. "No."
Cathy sighed. "I've never trained anyone as weak as you."
"Is that supposed to be a compliment?" Karen raised her brow, knowing she wasn't going to like this.
"Let's start with the treadmill," Cathy suggested, setting Karen up on it. Watching her clumsy ways was boring, so she went to get coffee.
Sipping her coffee, she observed the exhausted Karen. Only a few minutes had passed, and yet the girl was panting like a fish out of water.
"Can I rest?"
"Nope," Cathy casually responded, only reducing the speed of the treadmill. Karen felt like she was going to die, completely out of breath, but this heartless woman refused to let her stop.
"The first step to defending against an opponent is endurance. You have to be there for twenty minutes, and until then, don't even think of stopping."
Karen checked the monitor. Only six minutes had passed, and yet it felt like she had been there for hours. The air was drained from her lungs. "I can't do this."
"Giving up is not an option unless you are ready to pay for my services. Four hundred dollars per hour."
Karen froze, and that singular action threw her to the floor. Cathy rushed to her side with worry in her eyes. "Why did you stop?"
Karen was still catching her breath. "Why... Why are you so expensive?" she gasped, trying to recover from the intense workout. Cathy chuckled, realizing the reason for Karen's struggle.
"You have to push yourself harder," Cathy encouraged.
"Is everything going well?" Van asked, balancing a bag of groceries in each arm. Karen's exhaustion reminded him of when he first trained his wife, with a young boy named Roger providing support. "Is she making progress?"
Cathy shook her head. "Not even close."
Van sighed and headed to the kitchen with the groceries. "I'll be back in two hours."
Karen endured a grueling two hours on the treadmill, stationary bike, and other gym equipment, feeling completely drained. Her legs were trembling, barely able to support her weight.
"No pain, no gain. I had to push you to the limit to get paid by Don…"
"Goodbye, Cathy," Van interjected, prompting Cathy to swallow the rest of what she wanted to say and leave.
"You look exhausted," Van remarked, noticing Karen's condition. "Roger is trying to gather information from the motel. Can you counter that?"
Despite her fatigue, Karen knew she had to push through. Her fingers trembled as she prepared to hack into the system, determined to succeed. "I'll give it a try. Let me freshen up first."
Van looked concerned as he murmured, "No pain, no gain. The beginning is always the toughest."
Karen returned in more comfortable attire, causing Van to frown. "Didn't you see the clothes I brought for you?"
Confusion brewed her mind as she returned to her room, her eyes catching the shopping bags she didn’t notice previously.
However, after putting on one of the clothes, she contemplated on trying the rest. They just weren’t her style.
“Karen, I don’t have time,” Van yelled from the living room. “If you aren’t fast enough, Roger will find me and that will expose you.”