Rosemary's cup of tea was cold but she didn't mind it. Her fingers fidgeted as she remembered her encounter with mafia don Benjamin Turner.
Before that, in an attempt to protect her only best friend, she prevented Benjamin from going to the tea room by splashing a cup of hot tea on him. She tried to make it look like an accident.
She succeeded, but… She recalled the horrible look Benjamin gave her back then. She still clearly remembered the feeling of the chill it sent down her spine back then.
Luckily, the butler prevented any dire consequences she might have by then by introducing to Benjamin that she was best friends with Madam Claire's partner, Jacqueline. She didn't think it was an effective measure at the time.
However, somehow god of luck smiled at her. Benjamin immediately put on a friendly smile. His attitude completely changed in just a second.
Rosemary, of course, was still scared, however, she managed to conceal it successfully. She then went back to her seat bewilderedly while a maid poured her another cup of tea and Benjamin went to change into his new clothes.
Rosemary thought she was crazy because she just messed with a mafia don. But the change in his attitude was unexpected.
Suddenly, the sound of footsteps on the stairs caught her attention. Rosemary immediately looked over her shoulders. Benjamin was leisurely walking down the stairs while his assistant was following him.
Benjamin looked towards Rosemary and broke into a friendly smile (again).
Rosemary pursed her lips, she couldn't understand the motive behind his perplexing change in attitude.
"But he smiled in a friendly manner, which means that Jane was not in danger?" She comforted herself in her mind.
"Good evening, Lady Rosemary," said Benjamin in a polite tone. "I would love to have the opportunity to speak with you, but I have to leave now."
Rosemary immediately stood up, replying in surprise and confusion, "Yeah, good evening Mr. Turner. And me too."
Benjamin suddenly turned his footsteps toward her, "It's my honor."
Then, he gave her a business card. Wait, it was not like a regular business card, Rosemary quickly recognized the difference with her subtlety.
"It has my digital signature. It allows you to use the services in my Turner hotel chain at any time," said Benjamin proudly. "I hope you enjoy it."
The Turner Hotel? God, it was one of the most expensive hotel chains in the world. Rosemary couldn't help but be amazed. Even when members of her rich family abandoned the frugal and modest lifestyle they had maintained for more than a decade, she didn't get the chance to enjoy a night at the chain.
This was the first time she had received such a precious and super-expensive gift.
However, instinctively, Rosemary rejected him, "I don't think I can take such a super-expensive gift."
There was nothing free in this life.
"You're Jane's best friend, aren't you?" Benjamin smiled.
Rosemary couldn't hide her surprise. Jane? Did he mean Jacqueline or her twin sister, Jasmine?
"That's—right," she forced a smile.
"You were always with Jane," Benjamin said. "I am grateful for that. It's my way of expressing my sincerity as Jane's future husband."
Yeah… she was Jane's childhood best friend, but she meant Jacqueline, not Jasmine.
She still wanted to refuse the gift, but Benjamin skillfully made her cling to it.
"I think it suits Jane better," Rosemary said in her last attempt.
Benjamin just smiled and showed his generosity, "I have chosen for Jane a suitable gift. I will give it to her tomorrow evening."
"Tomorrow evening?" Rosemary wondered.
"Yes, we're going on a date tomorrow evening." Then Benjamin frowned, "Is she usually busy on Fridays?"
Rosemary shook her head, "She always tries to keep her schedule empty in the evenings."
"That's great. I'm looking forward to that evening," Benjamin flashed a rare genuine smile.
Until Benjamin had left the Turner family mansion in his SUV, Rosemary was still bewildered.
She returned to her place, while still clutching the card that Benjamin had given her as a gift. But then she got excited about that special gift. Rosemary took a sip of her tea in glee but didn't notice that the maid had changed her tea.
In the end, Rosemary spat out the tea because it was too hot.
Almost an hour later, Jacqueline came downstairs. Rosemary immediately approached her, spinning her around to check on her condition.
Jacqueline smiled helplessly, "I'm alright." But her mind was not.
Rosemary wanted to show her off the card Benjamin had given her but immediately stopped when she saw Madam Claire's assistant approaching them.
"I'm going to visit my dad," Jacqueline explained. "Madam Claire's assistant will take me home."
"I'll go with you," said Rosemary. "It's been a long time since I've visited Uncle Kelly. I'll call my butler to drive my old Beetle back."
Madam Claire's assistant took them to a facility near the outskirts of Turner-Hall Hospital. Jacqueline's father was receiving intensive care on the top floor of the hospital.
Jacqueline and Rosemary were amazed at the hospital's modern machines.
Because her father was being treated according to a special treatment. She could only see her father through the thick glass door.
Seeing her father being treated by top doctors, Jacqueline clenched her fists. Determination welled up in her mind. She had to complete this mission. She did not allow herself to lose.
Madam Claire's assistant brought the girls back to Rosemary's house. Jacqueline, at first, wanted to decline Rosemary's invitation to stay at her home, but under pressure from Rosemary, she agreed. Until Rosemary invited her to stay at her house, Jacqueline didn't know where she would be tonight. Because in order to have enough money to pay for her father's hospital bills, she sold the house she and her father lived in for more than 5 years.
"So what did he give you?" Jacqueline immediately asked as they entered Rosemary's room. The card that Benjamin gave Rosemary was the perfect excuse for her to persuade Jacqueline to spend her night at her house.
Rosemary immediately locked the door and successfully brought Jacqueline's curiosity to a climax.
Rosemary put her hand to her lips, signaling to Jacqueline that this was just their secret. Then, she took out the card from her pocket.
Jacqueline couldn't hide her surprise in her gaze when she saw the signature on the card.
"Why did he give it to you?" Jacqueline asked. "What is it used for?"
"Because I'm your best friend." Rosemary hesitated for a few seconds, "He must have meant I was Jasmine's best friend. It allows me to use the services of the famous Turner hotel chain."
"The full range of services?" Jacqueline asked.
"Uhm—Maybe. He did not say clearly. Well, I'll try it next week," Rosemary said while remembering her schedule.
Jacqueline raised an eyebrow. Benjamin was really hard to understand and—generous.
"And Jane." Rosemary's gaze was serious. "He said you're going on a date tomorrow night."
"Going on a date?" Jacqueline did not believe what she heard. "No way, we just had a dinner together."
Rosemary narrowed her eyes at her, "Is that? But he said it was dating."
"That word is only for Jasmine," Jacqueline corrected. "For me, it's a dangerous mission."
Pausing for a few seconds, Jacqueline revealed a shocking detail to her best friend, "He seems to always carry short guns."
"What?" Rosemary couldn't contain her surprise and voice. She immediately covered her mouth when she realized her loud voice could wake family members.
Jacqueline shrugged, "It's true, they're hidden under his suit jacket."
Anyway, thinking about Benjamin now, Jacqueline was always more cautious and more serious than scared (although her fear of Benjamin was still present). Her father's good treatment gave her a lot of motivation.
Jacqueline sighed, deciding to get ready for bed at once. She really needed energy for tomorrow. It would be a very difficult day.
However, Jacqueline still could not help but lose sleep that night. Until the clock struck 12 o'clock at night, she still could not sleep. And so was Rosemary because she was excited for a great night at the Turner Hotel.
Jacqueline began to find out what was preventing her from sleeping.
But she could not.
In a desperate attempt to fall asleep, she closed her eyes and let her mind drift. The image of Benjamin and his short guns startled her.
Jacqueline immediately opened her eyes. She put her hand on her left chest, feeling her heart pounding strongly.
She underestimated her fear of Benjamin. It was a fear of death, a primal fear of man. No one could deny it, not even a knight. Plus, from the start, she didn't believe she could get it done in the best way.
Rosemary's sensitivity brought her attention to Jacqueline, "Are you all right, Jane?"
"Rose, can you get me a short gun tomorrow?" Jacqueline whispered under her breath.
"Jane, you--," Rosemary didn't know how to calm her best friend either. She still could not fully put herself in Jacqueline's shoes, because she hadn't been through it.
Jacqueline regained her composure more than 5 minutes later. How could she assume she would be safe from a mafia don just because she had a short gun? The only thing she got when Benjamin uncover her true identity was death.
"No, stop those negative thoughts," Jacqueline whispered to herself in her mind. "Don't be afraid of it, take advantage of it."
She recalled what Madam Claire had told her. Trying to convince herself, she also felt more secure.
To make it easier to fall asleep, Jacqueline reached for her phone in search of some soothing music.
However, she did not expect to see a message from an unknown number.
"Is that Benjamin's number?" Jacqueline wondered while her heart started beating fast.
She immediately clicked on the message notification that showed up on the lock screen. Entering the password, she was surprised when she read the message. It did come from Benjamin.
"Is this your necklace?"
Below the message was an image of her necklace, which rested in a large, masculine hand.