CHAPTER 822: CHAPTER 823

"Are you talking about that curly-haired, brown-eyed tough guy?"

"Boss, exactly about your description." Horace nodded vigorously, "That’s the guy!"

"He took his crew and hightailed it out of there."

What??

To think that big shot Zebulon, known all over the underworld, would take his gang and beat a hasty retreat. Just how hard did the boss have to hit to scare them off like that.

"What about the medicine I want?" Rosemary inquired next.

"In the bag!" Horace declared confidently, "I guarded them with my life. Don’t worry, not a scratch on them."

As Rosemary felt a weight lift off her chest, she also felt a touch of gratitude.

Those medical materials were crucial for the upcoming research. Without them, the experiment would be a no-go.

"Boss, how long you planning on staying in Belloria this time?" Horace asked, hopeful.

"Probably two or three days."

"That short?"

Horace wanted to stick with the boss. Only by her side did he feel life is worth living.

"Ever think about heading back home?" Rosemary seemed to read his mind and suddenly asked.

Horace paused for a second, and then asked eagerly, "Is that an option?"

"Go back for New Year. Jack and Jones have been swamped. From now on, you’ll stay back home and help me out."

At that, Horace was over the moon, "Thank you, boss!!"

He’d finally got the same treatment as Jack and Jones. Once he was back, he’d have to show off to those two. Horace finally got highly recognized by the boss.

Just then, Rosemary’s phone buzzed. She looked down to see a video call from Romeo.

"Rose, you haven’t made it back to the hotel yet?"

A man’s attractive voice came through from the other end of the video.

Horace’s eyes widened. He never expected the notoriously cold-blooded Romeo to show such a tender side in private. And he called the boss "Rose" - that nickname was way too intimate.

In the past, anyone who dared to address the boss so casually would probably end up with a broken neck.

"Almost there," Rosemary’s tone softened as she saw Romeo, who had freshly showered in a white robe, his hair still damp.

"Aren’t you going to dry your hair?"

Romeo had left his hair wet on purpose, hoping to hear her concern. Now that he’d succeeded, he flashed a warm smile and dabbed his head with a towel, "My hair’s short; it’ll dry in no time."

They were on a video call, and Romeo didn’t want the noise of a hairdryer to bother her.

Rosemary noticed his robe was loosely tied, deliberately revealing just a hint of his pecs. His look was both sexy and devilish.

"You’re full of tricks," Rosemary’s voice was teasingly affectionate.

"Do you miss me?" Romeo asked again with that alluring voice.

"Ahem." Horace, caught off guard by their mushy conversation, choked on the water he was sipping while waiting for a traffic light.

"Is that a man’s voice?" Romeo caught the sound of the cough, "A new recruit?"

It wasn’t Jack or Jones’s voice. Someone he didn’t recognize.

"Your hearing’s not bad." Seeing Horace waiting for the light, Rosemary turned the camera his way and made a quick introduction, "Horace. Romeo."

"Hello, Mr. McMillian." Horace never imagined he’d get to see Romeo up close in his life. And Romeo, without the usual coldness in his eyes, seemed even more handsome and approachable.

"Hi," Romeo’s voice was more formal than before, lacking the seductive undertone it carried earlier, but there was a hint of warmth in it. Horace knew that this touch of warmth came from the boss’s influence.

"Did Rose get through the night without any scrapes?" Romeo asked softly.

"No, the boss’s got some slick moves; took them all on single-handedly."

"Focus on driving," Rosemary swiveled the camera back to Horace.

"Was there a fight?" Romeo’s tone was laced with concern, "Did you get hurt?"

"No."

Maybe to ease his worry, Rosemary added, "Just a bunch of nobodies."

Horace was stunned. The boss called that 300-pound muscle-bound boxer a nobody? And what about Zebulon’s dozens of henchmen?

"I thought this trip was supposed to be a cakewalk, just a quick pick-up and meet with the client before heading back?" Romeo’s worry was evident, "What happened? I can send some guys from Mafia C to back you up."

Mafia C??

Horace’s eyes bulged, his mouth agape in shock. Was he out of the loop, or had the boss not made the announcement? Romeo was with Mafia C?

And if he could dispatch Mafia C’s men at will, could Romeo be Mafia C’s boss?? The possibility made Horace freeze in place. He couldn’t fathom the boss being involved with someone from Mafia C.

"Everything’s been taken care of tonight." Rosemary gestured with the backpack nearby, "We’ve got the goods."

"Is the rest of the trip going to be dangerous?"

"It’s safe."

"Don’t lie to me."

"Really, it’s just some fashion designs for a client, then heading back. You take care of things at Dawnstar; don’t worry about me here."

At that moment, Horace wished he could turn invisible. He’d never expected the boss and Romeo to be so tender with each other behind closed doors.

It was so bittersweet. This was the first time he’d seen two fearsome figures show such a different side in private.

After chatting with Romeo for a few minutes until they reached the hotel entrance, Rosemary finally ended the video call.

"Boss, I’ll walk you up."

Before Rosemary could protest, Horace was out of the car, opening the door for her and carefully holding her bag.

Back in the presidential suite, Horace couldn’t help but express his concern, "Boss, those guys might not find this place tonight, but if they do, you can twist the wall lamp behind the sofa to reveal a fire

escape. If there’s trouble, call me first, don’t try to handle it alone."

Good, he was learning to care. Rosemary’s lips curled into a smile, "Got it."

"Well then, boss, I’ll leave you to rest," Horace closed the door behind her.

It was nearly 1 a.m. Rosemary took a bath and fell asleep soon after.

Early in the next morning, Rosemary woke up to several messages, one of which was from her bestie.

[Rose, are you in Belloria by any chance? Heard about some young woman stirring up trouble at Zebulon’s joint last night, even knocked a boxer on his backside. I bet it was you, am I right?]

The sender was Ophelia Almond, one of Rosemary’s closest friends.

Rosemary texted back, [It was me.]

Ophelia called her, and after hearing the whole story, she too was fuming.

[These jerks deserve a lesson. Last time at another underground ring I saw them forcing an old man to fight, I trashed the place too.]

Bullying the weak was the lowest of the low.

"These people will do anything for a buck; they don’t see others as human," Ophelia’s voice was filled with righteous anger. Rosemary smiled, "What have you been up to lately?"