Facing Rosemary''s questioning, the bodyguard didn''t even bat an eyelid, still sporting that icy


    professional demeanor, "We were ordered to protect you."


    To protect her? Rosemary wasn''t buying that Maxwell was suddenly ying the good Samaritan!


    "I don''t need anybody''s protection. Go back to where you came from and stop loitering at my


    doorstep."


    Just as she was talking, she spotted neighbors peeking out their doors in their direction. But the


    bodyguard stood his ground, his tone as emotionless as a parrot repeating phrases, "Mr. Templeton


    said if you don''t want us here, he coulde in person."


    Great, there went her appetite - poof, vanished in thin air! She mmed the door shut with such


    force that the walls trembled.


    Digging out her phone from her purse, Rosemary called Maxwell. The moment he picked up, she


    unleashed a torrent of fury at him, "Maxwell, call off your people!"


    "They''re there to keep you safe," the voice on the other end sounded husky as if he had just woken


    up.


    Grinding her teeth, Rosemary retorted, "Not necessary."


    "The trending topic this morning made you recognizable. You might attract some unsavory attention;


    where you live isn''t safe."


    Maxwell shouldn''t have brought that up - it only fueled Rosemary''s anger, "You weren''t so


    concerned when you leaked those photos of us leaving the hotel to the media."


    Back then, she was cyberbullied to the point where she couldn''t even step outside, and while


    dodging debt collectors, she didn''t even have a single voice in the online army to defend her, let


    alone a bodyguard.


    After a few seconds of silence, the man''s voice turned dark, "Who told you that?"


    With a hint of mockery in her voice, Rosemary said, "Your little sweetheart, of course."


    With so many eyes on themst night, Maxwell could cover up everything for his sweetheart.


    Otherwise, just the fact that Victoria used Maxwell''s invite to attend the auction could have been


    enough forizens to rip her to shreds and nail her to the pir of shame as a mistress!


    A suppressed, low chuckle came through the phone. After a while, Maxwell said, "The bodyguard


    issue is non-negotiable unless you want me to move in and personally keep an eye on you."


    Rosemary''s mind was reeling with rage, "Maxwell, can''t you man up and stop clinging to me


    shamelessly? You could have buriedst night''s news, but instead, you''ve made itmon


    knowledge. Are you sick? I don''t need protection, and I certainly don''t need you to handle my dead


    body!"


    Taking a few deep breaths to calm her oxygen-deprived dizzy head, she added, "I''ve got ns to go


    out for dinner. Get your men out of here."


    "They won''t stop you."


    They might not stop her, but they would follow her. Imagine dining with someone, bodyguards


    nking like emotionless statue guardians. Who could stay cool with that?


    "Maxwell," Rosemary forced herself to stay calm, "are you jealous? You don''t want me to have


    dinner with Hogan, so you pull this stunt to get under my skin?"


    "If that''s what you want to think, I can''t help it."


    That wasn''t jealousy; it was pure sarcasm, revenge for what she had done. Fuming, she hung up


    and threw the phone onto the carpet ferociously!


    Soon, Ynda arrived with a suitcase turned makeup bag, changing her shoes while eyeing the


    men outside, "What''s the deal with those two wooden statues at the door?"


    Rosemary slumped on the sofa, deted, "That''s Maxwell''s crazy doing."


    She suspected Maxwell had some unseemly designs on Rosemary - who knew, the man seemed


    deep and calcting, and she had only interacted with him a few times because of Rosemary,


    barely exchanging words.


    Ynda opened the suitcase, "Has Hogan said when he''s picking you up?"


    Rosemary nced as Yndaid out a collection of vials on the coffee table, including some


    breast enhancement cream, "Why does that sound so weird to me?"


    It sounded like she was asking when the groom wasing to fetch the bride!


    "Me asking clearly is just to n better."


    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    Rosemary stopped Ynda''s hand, which was about to apply something to her face, "I''ll do it


    myself, and you can keep your breast and butt enhancers, or hair removal creams to yourself."


    "They''re all good stuff." Ynda nced at Rosemary''s chest, "Never mind, you don''t need them."


    Any bigger, and clothes wouldn''t look good.


    As Ynda watched Rosemary skillfully apply her makeup, she curiously asked, "Do you really


    have no feelings for Maxwell anymore?"


    Rosemary paused while applying sunscreen, "Don''t know, but I''ve never wavered on the idea of


    divorce since it first crossed my mind. Not every couple divorces because of lost feelings. It''s like a


    discarded toy; it''s not because you don''t like it, it just feels dirty."


    Ynda nodded in agreement; that made sense.


    When Hogan arrived to pick her up, he was covered up even more than Rosemary, the newfound


    inte sensation. Hat, mask, sunsses, and a scarf around his neck, the only visible skin was


    the hand tucked in his pocket.


    Gazing at him, Ynda was dumbfounded, "Are you here to take Rosemary out to lunch or to cast


    her in a ''Mr. & Mrs. Smith'' skit?"


    "Knew Rosemary would be all covered up today; just wanted to match her with a couple''s set,"


    Hogan''s face couldn’t be seen, and his mood was only discernible through his tone of voice.


    Hogan tilted his chin, "What''s with the two in the back?"


    Rosemary frowned, "Did Maxwell rough you up?"


    It was more than roughing up; he had been beaten to a pulp. It didn''t seem so badst night, but


    when he woke up this morning and looked in the mirror, his face was red and swollen, with bruises


    turning blue in severe spots, looking like a pig''s head ready to be cured and hung.


    That sneaky man, no wonder he only went for his facest night! Still, he was a man, and he


    couldn''t show weakness in front of the woman he liked no matter how bad it was, "It''s nothing. He''s


    just jealous I''m better-looking than him, always picking on, ouch."


    Before he could even finish his sentence, Rosemary''s hand had already smacked into his belly. Just


    last night, she had seen Hogan take a kick from Maxwell right there.


    She didn''t put much muscle into it, but Hogan was caught off-guard. Suddenly taking a hit like that,


    he couldn''t help but yelp in pain.


    Rosemary rolled her eyes at him, clearly annoyed, "You call this ''nothing''? Have you even been to


    the hospital to get it checked out?"


    A gut punch could easily lead to internal bleeding!