The Princess and the Pauper (Arabella)

Chapter 1681

Horace was so infuriated he could feel his heart pounding against his chest. Without hesitation, he called the boss.

"Boss, that Sean is way out of line. They say we won't touch their island for less than 70 or 80 million. Are they so desperate for

collecting money? Other islands that are bigger and nicer go for just ten or twenty million. And you know what they told me? They

said to go buy sother island and then they hung up on me. I'm so pissed, honestly. They're not serious about selling at all!"

Arabella couldn't help but hide a smirk as she saw how fhe was.

"But then, out of the blue, they said that Sean wants to meet us. Boss, do you think it might be the sSean from last night? The

names are the sone. Do people just happen to have the sname?"

Could they really be walking right into their own trap?

"Possibly." Arabella said, uncertain, "Have you looked them up?"

"lI can't get a lead on this Sean's identity. Tried before and it always brings trouble. | haven't checked the other Sean from yesterday

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though. But with the number of goons he has, | bet he's no pushover."

What's with people named Sean being such a tough nut to crack?

"If it's the sguy, then we might actually have an advantage."

Horace thought he was hearing things. An advantage? The crowd from last night was anything but friendly, and almost had them

completely surrounded.

"If it weren't for those homemade smoke bombs you whipped up, boss, we'd have been sitting ducks." Horace recounted, then

couldn't help but add, "But | gotta say, tagging along with you these past few days has been a thrill like no other. No wonder Jack

and the others are always vying to work with you."

Just one outing with the boss and he'd cback with a whole new level of street smarts, not to mention the adrenaline rush.

Thinking about how the boss might count on him more, sending him back hto help out, Horace couldn't stop the goofy grin

spreading across his face, revealing his charming bunny teeth.

"What are you grinning about?" Arabella looked at his silly, endearing expression.

"Nothing, just working with you is great, boss."

"Weren't you scared last night?"

"Scared? | was shaking in my boots. You didn't see it, but when all those guns were aimed and the triggers were pulled, closing in

on us, who knew if their weapons would malfunction and suddenly go off right in front of my face."

Arabella couldn't help but laugh.

"Boss, have you noticed you've been smiling a lot more lately? You look really good when you smile. Try to do it more often; it's

pretty."

"So | wasn't pretty before?"

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"You were, but it was a cool kind of pretty. Now it's sweet and warm; each has its own charm." Horace chuckled and then asked,

"So boss, are we going tonight? They said everything's negotiable, we just have to show up. Do you think it could be the same

Sean? Maybe he knows we were the ones who messed with Sam last night and wants us to walk right into their hands?"

"Unlikely. If that were the case, they could've pretended to sell the island at a low price, forcing us to sign a deal on the spot. But

they only said they wanted to talk. Probably just curious why we're so hell-bent on that island."

"We can't reveal its true value, though. If we do, they'll either back out or jack up the price."

They were cunning; that was for sure. Couldn't show their hand.

"Let's scope out the scene tonight."

Seeing Arabella so nonchalant, Horace couldn't help but admire her, "Boss, you've got nerves of steel. How can you be so young

and yet so brave, walking into enemy territory tand tagain? Your guts are just incredible."

"You want to take the lead instead?"