"Yeah! She saved my life. The moment she jumped in, she took down four guys in no time!" When he mentioned Natalie, Roderick looked like he'd seen a celebrity. "She's amazing and kind! First, she stood up for me at the market, then she saved me from a dozen robbers! You might have seen her before. She's Natalie Ashford. She used to live in the hillside villas." "Natalie ... " Cassian repeated the name, lips barely moving. "I never heard of her." Roderick shrugged. "There are tons of people in the villa area, and she's already moved out. It's normal that you don't know her. Anyway, I owe her and her friends a big time today." Every time he said her name, his face lit up with admiration. Cassian watched him, surprised at how smitten Roderick looked.Usually, Roderick only got that way when talking about Cassian. "By the way, Boss," Roderick said carefully, keeping an eye on Cassian's expression. "The ring you gave me—I gave it to Natalie. She likes it." "Since I gave it to you, it's yours. You don't need to ask me." Roderick nodded in relief. He knew his boss was generous and wouldn't care about the small stuff. Indeed, Cassian didn't care. Still, he was a little curious. Roderick used to treat that ring like it was his lifeline. He showed it off to everyone, saying it proved his boss trusted him. He wore it everywhere—even in the shower and to bed—and never let anyone touch it. Now, he'd just handed it over without a second thought. "You said she took out four guys in seconds?" Cassian asked.She sounded pretty badass. Roderick's eyes lit up as he recalled what had happened earlier. "You have no idea! A dozen guys with machetes were all coming at me! I was this close to being toast! Then out of nowhere, this heroine shows up—steers a boat all by herself, pulls off a crazy drift, and just drops in from above ... " He got so excited retelling it that one of his wounds split open again. He winced, clutching his side. Cassian waved him off. "Since you got the supplies back safely, go home and rest." Roderick scratched his head. "There's still stuff left to trade. I need to go out again tomorrow." Cassian paused for a moment and said, "I'll come with you." Roderick was flattered. Did he matter that much to his boss? Was Cassian worried about him?His eyes got watery. "Mr. Holland, you don't have to come. I can handle it!" Cassian looked up. "You overthink it." He'd been stuck at home for over three months and was itching for some fresh air. Plus, he wanted to see what the world outside looked like now. Before heading out, Roderick gave Cassian a quick update on the villa area. "As you guessed, more servants and guards are getting restless. Most families have sent their staff home, except the Mervyns. "Everyone has got enough supplies, so things are stable for now. Floodwaters have gone down a bit. Looks like it might be getting better." Cassian nodded silently and went back to his drama. "I'll head home now, Boss. I'll pick you up tomorrow," Roderick said. Back at home, Nadia had already moved all the supplies inside. Their five-year-old son, Dominic, was helping seriously.The moment he saw Roderick, he ran over, crying. "Daddy! Mommy said you got hurt!" Roderick scooped him up. "Let me see. What kind of tough guy cries like this?" Dominic tried to hold it in. "I won't cry!" But a minute later, tears welled up again. "Daddy, please don't go anywhere dangerous." "Good boy! I'll go out just one more time tomorrow, then I'll stay home with you every day, okay?" Nadia had been listening and hurried over. "You're going out again tomorrow?" she said, frowning. "It's way too risky! We've got plenty of supplies. You should just stay home and rest." Roderick shook his head. "No, I promised my lifesaver. I can't go back on my word." He told her the whole story. Nadia thought it over and said, "Alright, I'll go with you tomorrow. I don't want you going alone." Roderick hugged her. "Don't worry, Honey. Mr. Holland will come with me. You just stay home with Dominic and wait for me." "Mr. Holland?" Nadia was surprised. "Why is he coming with you?" "He's worried about me!" Nadia looked skeptical. "Come on, Honey. Just relax. Relax. Nothing bad is gonna happen tomorrow."