Rose hummed in acknowledgment before hurrying off.
Kingston walked up to Matthew. "Do you know her? Why didn't you say
anything?"
Matthew shook his head. "I wouldn't say I know her. I've only seen her twice, and I wouldn't be able to tell just from her back."
Sitting at the bar, Kingston sulked and grumbled, "No way. If you've only met twice, why is she acting so cozy with you?"
The two of them were still chatting when Rose came back about five minutes later.
With a slightly serious look on her face, Rose gestured toward the office. "Come to my office. I have something to discuss with you."
Noticing Rose's expression, Matthew got curious about what she wanted to discuss and headed to the office with Kingston.
It was a woman's office, with roses on the desk and a faint perfume scent permeating the air. Even the lighting had a soft red hue, filling the room with a rosy glow.
Matthew sat down and asked, "What's up? Why did we have to talk in the office?" Rose gave Kingston a once-over. "Is he Kingston Wooler?"
Matthew immediately got on guard, keeping his eyes fixed on Rose as he waited for her explanation.
Rose could tell Matthew was on edge, so she explained, "You've made some enemies, Matthew. Someone just paid us to dig into you and Kingston, but I have to keep their identity confidential. It's part of the job, and I can't break the rules. Don't ask me who are they because I won't tell you anyway."
"Is it the Fuller family from Mistvale City?" Matthew didn't hesitate to name the client who paid for the information.
Rose was flabbergasted. "H-how do you know that?"
Matthew chuckled and explained, "Kingston and I only crossed the Fullers. No one else comes to mind."
Rose nodded as Matthew's explanation added up. She remarked with a grin, "I really admire you, Matthew. You're capable, decisive, and get things done fast. I'm sure you'll make it big someday.
"But that's for the future. As of now, you're still flying under the radar. I thought I'd offer you some advice. Would you like to hear it?"
The moment Rose told Matthew about her client, he knew she was trying to strengthen their ties. Naturally, he had no reason to turn her down.
"Thanks for thinking so highly of me. Go on. I'm listening."
Rose paused for a bit before adding, "If you want to get anywhere, there are three types of people you should never cross.
"First up, those with power. Rub them the wrong way, and they'll undo all your efforts with just a few words. Worse yet, they could leave you in a tough spot, with no one to turn to.
"I'm not making things up. Just a while ago, I came across a piece of news on TikTok. Someone got locked up for two years just because they didn't put any sauce in a customer's sandwich in a restaurant.
"Later, during a prison roll call, someone found out about him and asked what he did. He told them that he got jailed because he didn't put any sauce in a customer's sandwich.
"You might not believe it, and even the warden thought he was crazy. But when they checked, it turned out to be true."
Frowning, Matthew found the story to be absurd, but Rose's serious look made it hard to doubt her. He couldn't tell if it was true, so he decided to check it out on his phone when he had some free time.
Rose continued, "Next, never go up against any major player in a field. If you do, you could end up on bad terms with the entire industry. It's not uncommon to see people getting kicked out like that.
"Lastly, don't make enemies with rich people. These days, money can get you almost anything. If you upset a wealthy person, they've got countless ways to make your life difficult."
Matthew sported a wry smile. "Looks like I've pissed off every type of person you said not to mess with."
Horace, Levi, and Joshua fell in the first category. For the second kind, Matthew had offended all the major players in the medical field. Lastly, the third type of people would be the Fullers.
Rose was bewildered. "Y-you've got to be kidding, right? You're smarter than this. How could you make such a mistake?"
Matthew flashed a bitter grin at Rose. "It's not about being clever. They're the ones who messed with me first."
Rose furrowed her brows. "You don't understand how big of a deal this is. They want to dig up everything about you and Kingston, even the location of your family graves.
"They're asking about everyone's names-your parents, siblings, uncles, and aunts. To make matters worse, they want details like their address, what they do for a living, their daily routines, and where they frequent.
"They asked all these questions and paid handsomely for the answers. Looks like you've gotten on their bad side, and they're looking to settle the score. It's not just the two of you in trouble. Even your loved ones, relatives, and friends are in danger too."