Maxwell mmed up, shooting her a look that screamed she was "ying dumb".


    Rosemary, "No way!"


    Like hell she''d let him stay here!


    "10 grand for one night."


    "No dice, who knows what you''re scheming."


    "Where do you get the nerve to think I have designs on you?"


    Rosemary couldn''t help but think back on some sour memories, and with pouting lips, she said, "No


    can do."


    She was already mulling over taking this to court, thinking about splitting for two years and then


    getting an automatic divorce decree.


    Maxwell, with a stone-cold face, grumbled, "Mom''s caught wind of our separation."


    "That''s still a no-go."


    "100 grand."


    "Cash up front every night, no checks, wire transfer only."


    Rosemary flipped her stance faster than a weathervane in a tornado, gritting her teeth as she


    agreed. She couldn''t help it; the offer was just too good to pass up.


    In the few seconds he was speechless, Rosemary had already whipped out her bank card and


    thrust it at him.


    He nced at it and looked away, "Can''t be bothered; just text me the details."


    Half in doubt, Rosemary unblocked then sent him her ount info, and minutester, she got a text


    confirming 100 grand had been deposited.


    Maxwell''s eyesnded on her finger, which was poised to block him again, and he growled a


    warning, "If I find out you''ve blocked me again, you can kiss the rest of the money goodbye."


    Rosemary sheepishly retracted her hand and stood up, "Goodnight."


    By the time Maxwell caught the hint, the bedroom door had mmed shut and was locked from the


    inside!


    She had thought Maxwell would make a fuss about moving in, but surprisingly, the night passed


    without incident.


    The next day, off he went on a business trip. Rosemary didn''t care how long he''d be gone; she was


    just focused on that daily 100 grand hitting her ount.


    Soon enough, the word about her helping Nelson with the appraisal spread like wildfire in their


    circles.


    That day, she hit the Night Club, gave the server the room number, and got whisked up to the fifth


    floor.


    Somebody had rung her up the day before, said his dad was there during the appraisal and was


    super impressed with Rosemary''s skills. They wanted her to take a look at something they had.


    Rosemary initially refused; appraisals weren''t really her gig, but they named a price she couldn''t


    turn down.


    The room was crowded, but the lights were normal, nothing shady about the atmosphere or the


    crowd''s behavior.


    Scanning the room, she recognized a few faces. The middle-aged man in the center stood up


    immediately when he saw her, bowing slightly, "Ms. Chambers."


    That level of reverence almost unbelievable.


    "Darren?"


    Darren nodded eagerly, clearing the prime spot for Rosemary, "After hearing from my dad about


    how Ms. Chambers helped Mr. Ger with his appraisal, I wanted to ask for your help too. I just


    didn''t want to impose, so I waited untilst night to contact you."


    Being pals with Nelson meant they were loaded, always looking down from the clouds. His respect


    for Rosemary wasrgely because he''d heard she was Mrs. Templeton and was trying to cozy up to


    the Templeton family.


    Rosemary didn''t bother with Darren''s motives and simply said, "Let''s see the item."


    Darren carefully presented a rosewood carved box; inside were a pair of jadeite earrings, "A debtor


    gave them to me; imed they''re a family heirloom."


    Rosemary inspected them - the jadeite was clear, valuable for sure, but hardly an antique. She put


    the earrings back, "Darren, the jadeite''s top-notch. Keep it in good shape, and who knows, it might


    be an antique someday."


    Darren didn''t really care about their antiquity; the earrings were just his way of getting a foot in the


    door with Rosemary. Now he had to feign disappointment, "Looks like I''ve been had."


    After getting paid for the appraisal, Rosemary was ready to bounce, but Darren tried to keep her


    there, "Ms. Chambers, since you''re here, why not stay a bit longer? My daughter''s been studying art


    since she was young and admires your field."


    After that, he tossed a look at a youngdy nearby. He''d been trying to get chummy with Rosemary,


    but she wasn''t biting, and he couldn''t just throw money at her like he would with others, so he


    switched tactics.


    The girl was all friendly smiles, dimples and all, "Rosemary, stay a bit longer; let''s go pick some


    songs. I''m a junior at Greenwood University''s art department. Can I join your line of work after I


    graduate?"


    Rosemary replied, "You could try applying at a museum."


    Talent was scarce in their field; if someone wanted in, she was happy to point them in the right


    direction.


    "Any special requirements? Like, do I have to know antiques?" Before Rosemary could respond,


    she found herself being dragged to the karaoke console, "What song do you want, Rosemary? I can


    pick for you."


    "No, I''m good."


    She was about to decline when the door opened. Rosemary raised an eyebrow at the two people


    who walked in. Talked about a small world - she knew them both, quite well at that.


    Victoria and her agent - clearly, they were here for Darren. Tracy shed a sickly sweet smile, none


    of her usual arrogance in front of Rosemary, "Darren, I thought I saw you, and sure enough, it was


    you."


    While talking, she was busy pitching Victoria, "Victoria is hands down the best dancer in the country.


    You investing in our dance troupe is a sure bet."


    N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    "The best dancer?" Darren''s eyes flickered. He''d heard that Rosemary and Victoria weren''t exactly


    chums, so he saw a chance to score some points with Rosemary, "Well, we''ve gotta see her dance


    to know for sure."


    Tracy uttered, "Victoria’s show is on the 9th of this month, and I''ll have someone hook you up with


    VIP."


    Darren cut her off, "Everyone''s already here; why bother chasing rainbows? Let''s just see some


    moves right here. If she''s really got the moves, then I might think about forking over some


    investment cash."


    Before Tracy could say a word, Victoria firmly rejected, "No way, I''ll never dance in a ce like this."


    Dancing in a nightclub? What did that make her? Some kind of private room princess just to please


    the guys?


    Darren''s face darkened, "What''s the matter, you got a nail in your foot here? People dance on the


    streets; you think you''re too good or you got one leg up on them?"


    Rosemary had never seen a guy who could dish it out like this; she couldn''t help but take a couple


    more nces at Darren.


    Feeling her admiring gaze, Darren was convinced he was on the right track, about to hit the big


    time, so he looked at Victoria with growing impatience, "Dance or get lost; I''m not here to throw my


    money away, sponsoring some high and mighty act!"


    Victoria, with her high standards, certainly couldn''t take this kind of insult. She was about to storm


    off but Tracy quickly grabbed her, "Victoria."


    She pulled Victoria aside and whispered, "Just pretend this ce is the Grand Theater or the


    Havenbrook Dance Theater. Without new investment, our fledgling dance troupe is gonna fall


    apart."


    As speaking, Tracy sighed wearily; if only Victoria hadn''t insisted on returning to her home country,


    or if she could havended Maxwell, they wouldn''t be in such a tight spot.


    This was undoubtedly the most humiliating dance for Victoria. Not only was the venue a dump, but


    the audience was a bunch of philistines who didn''t know art from a hole in the ground.


    And to top it off, in the middle of a spin, she caught sight of Rosemary seated in a corner. Rosemary


    was watching her dance with a detached gaze, as if she was just looking at a street performer.


    Victoria stiffened, abruptly stopping her motion, and then called out to the woman in the corner,


    "Rosemary, we''ve known each other for a while; are you just going to stand by and watch me get


    humiliated?"


    Rosemary''s response was indifferent, "If that''s how you see it, I actually feel sorry for Darren. You


    shop around even for one-buck pair of flip-flops, and you''re calling it humiliation to show a little of


    your craft for an investment worth hundreds of thousands, maybe even millions? Maybe you should


    just quit chasing investments and get out of the scene altogether. And don''t try to guilt-trip me,


    whether you''re humiliated or not is none of my business. I''m not your mom to care whether you''re


    being bullied or not."


    Tracy noticed Darren''s changing expression and jumped in, "Ms. Chambers, if you''re being so


    harsh because Mr. Templeton has got Victoria''s back, there''s really no need. If Victoria was looking


    to ride on Mr. Templeton''s coattails, she wouldn''t be here seeking investment herself."


    With this, Tracy not only tried to drive a wedge between Rosemary and Maxwell but also hinted to


    Darren that Victoria was Mr. Templeton''s woman, and he better get his head straight about who to


    suck up to!


    Just then, the closed door of the private room swung open again, and in walked Maxwell, cool as a


    cucumber. His eyes swept over everyone before finally resting on Rosemary.