Rosemary burst into a snarkyugh, "Sure, just remember to pick a mastiff. At least they look tough


    and strong."


    She paused, then added with a hint of sarcasm, "But these days, there are plenty that look the part


    but can''t do the job, and this applies not only to humans but also to animals."


    Maxwell''s temples were throbbing; he pinched the bridge of his nose, clearly annoyed, "Get out."


    Rosemary shrugged, "Give me my phone back."


    The man looked down to see her pale hand outstretched, "Are you missing the phone, or the guy


    who''s been calling you?"


    "Maxwell, would it kill you not to be so snide? You dragged me out of the cultural center without


    even letting me grab my coat. I don''t have a dime on me, and you''re kicking me out of the car.


    What, am I supposed to hoof it from here?"


    The center was a bit far from the city center, and even farther from her apartment.


    Maxwell''s expression softened a bit after her exnation, and he tossed her the phone from his


    coat pocket, "If you just."


    Bite the bullet, and you won''t have to get out of the car.


    But before he could finish his sentence, Rosemary pushed the car door open and left without


    another word. The whole car shuddered when she mmed the door shut.


    As soon as Rosemary stepped out, she got drenched by droplets falling from the leaves; thete


    autumn rain already carried the bone-chilling cold of winter. The wet clothes stuck to her, making


    her shiver uncontrobly.


    Maxwell didn''t leave, nor did he get out of the car. His gaze was fixed on the rear-view mirror, on the


    drenched figure of Rosemary; with his lips in a straight line, he was clearly pissed off.


    It''s tough to hail a cab in the rain, especially in this cold, and Rosemary was hardly dressed for it.


    He was waiting for her toe back and beg him!


    This thought smoothed out the annoyance in his heart a little.


    Meanwhile, Rosemary was on the phone with Hans while trying to g down a ride. The call


    connected quickly, and Hans was just checking in on her since he hadn''t seen her for a while and


    was worried something might have happened.


    "I''m fine, just bumped into an acquaintance. Can you keep an eye on the exhibition for me? I''m


    feeling a bit under the weather and need to rest."


    "Don''t worry about the exhibition, we''ve got security on site," Hans wasn''t suspicious, "The


    weather''s been all over the cetely, and lots of people are catching colds. If you''re really feeling


    that bad, go get a shot at the hospital, and you''ll recover faster."


    "Okay, thanks."


    As soon as she hung up, a taxi with a passenger inside pulled up. It was lucky to share a cab in this


    weather, and she didn''t mind it when she found out they were heading in the same direction. She


    hopped in without looking back at the Bentley she left behind, though she could imagine the sour


    look on the man''s face inside.


    Back home, Rosemary headed straight for the shower.


    Even with the taxi''s heater on, her clothes were still soaked through; the warmth did nothing.


    When she used her keys to open the door, her hands were so cold that she could barely feel them.


    It was only when the hot water hit her that she felt alive again.


    She had initially used feeling unwell as an excuse when she informed Hans, but before long,


    Rosemary realized she was actually running a fever!


    She felt like a furnace, yet she was shivering from the cold,pletely drained and with a splitting


    headache.


    She rarely got sick, and since moving here, she''d been too busy to even have medicine at home –


    not even basic stuff like fever patches or cold remedies.


    After her mom passed away, Larry had be like a stepdad to her, so the few times she did get


    sick, she just toughed it out with her own immune system.


    ording to her experience, she knew she''d probably break the fever after some sleep.


    In a daze, she heard her phone ring. Without opening her eyes, she reached out instinctively for the


    phone on her nightstand, "Hello."


    On the other end was Martin. Noticing something was off in her voice, he paused for a few seconds


    before speaking, "Rosemary?"


    "Mhm." Rosemary, still semi-conscious, recognized it was Martin. She mustered some energy,


    "What''s up?"


    "Just a small favor. My grandpa acquired something from someone, and I was wondering if you


    knew anyone who could help verify its authenticity?"


    The fever made Rosemary’s thoughts sluggish, and it took her a moment to reply, "I''ll check it out


    for you tomorrow. Have someone bring it to the cultural center."


    The charity exhibition was on for three days, and she''d be there throughout.


    "Alright."


    The two weren''t chatty with each other, and as soon as the matter was discussed, silence fell


    between them.


    In that silence, Rosemary''sbored breathing sounded all the more loud and clear.


    Martin didn''t hear her speak, but the call wasn''t disconnected. This was unprecedented, so he


    asked with concern, "Are you feeling okay?"


    "Just a cold," she mumbled vaguely, seemingly about to drift into deep sleep.


    "Have you taken any medicine? Where''s Maxwell?"


    There was so sound on the other end,


    Martin waited a long time, but there was no reply. Recalling a recent chat with Archer where he


    mentioned unintentionally that Rosemary had moved out of Meadork Retreat after a falling out


    with Maxwell, Martin furrowed his brows in worry, "Where are you right now?"


    Rosemary reported her address reflexively, a delirious act without conscious thought.


    Unaware of when Martin hung up the call or even that she had told him her address, she fell into a


    deep, heavy sleep.


    At ten o''clock at night, the Night Club was all glitz and mour.


    Archer looked expressionlessly at the man who was silently drinking on the sofa, "Did Rosemary


    dump you? Coming here to drown your sorrows instead of sleeping at night?"


    Holding a ss of amber liquid, Maxwell nced at Archer after a moment, with a look almost


    condescending, "Are you brain-dead or blind? Her, dump me? You think that''s possible?"


    Archer''s lips curled into a cold, humorless smile, "Look at you, the picture of a man dumped and


    dejected. To an onlooker, it looks like you''re nning to get wasted on purpose, maybe with the


    hope of ''identally'' sleeping with her in a drunken haze."


    Maxwell got irritated and frowned, "Why so sleazy? No wonder you''ve got no woman around.


    Seems like you''ve pent up so much that it''s twisted your mind."


    Archer was livid.


    "Just leave me alone."


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    "Ha!" Archer stood up with a scoff, "Calling you a dog would be an insult to dogs. No wonder


    Rosemary left you; youck the tongue to woo ady andck the decency to utter a single


    respectable word!."


    Archer''s been on a pretty regr schedule these past couple of years; he got used to hitting the hay


    by ten unless something special''s going on. And now, not only has Maxwell dragged him out for


    drinks, but he also got an earful of crazy talk and was even called a freak and all.


    Just as the private room door swung open, someone happened to be passing by; with all the rain


    marks on him, it looked like he just got caught in a downpour. He was hustling by, shaking off the


    droplets and cursing, "Damn, it''s freezing! Probably gonna spend the whole night burning up after


    getting drenched like this!"


    Not paying much attention to the guy, Archer was about to take a step out when suddenly, there


    was this rush of footsteps from behind.


    Before he can even look back, he caught a glimpse of Maxwell, who''d just said he wanted to be


    alone, but was now zipping past him in a hurry.


    Archer frowned, thinking, "What the hell''s the rush now? Where''s he off to in such a ze?"