Suddenly, I Am Rich

"Whoa, look at you," Gray's brows rose as he stepped back to get a better look at Rome and the people behind him.

"All of you still look the same."

"Yes, Sir," Rome replied with a light laugh. There was a hint of relief in his tone as he muttered those words.

After the successful proceedings of the case, Gray made sure Rome was taken care of.

They didn't want him to be assaulted again by Will and his men. During that time, they provided him with a safe space to stay. They also provided him with food and a little allowance to cover the cost of what he needed.

That lasted for a few weeks until Rome decided to leave. He was worried he was a burden if he stayed longer. He was still in his prime age. He knew he could work to take care of himself.

Also, he had already received a lot of help.

Aside from providing him with what he needed, Gray's team also helped restore his old home. They restored the broken door and transformed it a little into a livable condition.

It might not be a lot, but for him, who barely had anything, it was everything.

"And you four. How are you guys?"

The big men behind Rome shuffled awkwardly. Their massive shoulders looked out of place compared to the store's bright atmosphere. One of them scratched the back of his neck while the others greeted him with shy little waves.

Gray fought the urge to laugh at what he saw. They looked adorable and cute. They have big bodies, but their personality looked small. It was different from the courage they had when he last saw them.

The four exchanged quick glances, as if silently daring each other to speak first. Their hesitation was obvious, and Gray tilted his head, curious.

Finally, the tallest one let out a stiff laugh. It was the same person who talked to him first back then.

"Uh… It's nice to see you again, boss!"

"Boss? What boss?" Gray frowned in confusion.

"Hello, boss!" another one chimed in quickly, forcing a grin as he stepped forward and pumped Gray's hand with too much enthusiasm. He looked so excited to meet Gray again.

Before Gray could protest further, all four of them looked at each other, then lowered their heads in unison.

"Thank you for the food you've been sending to us every week!" they chorused out loud, which caught some attention from the other shoppers.

Gray's eyes widened.

"Wait—what?" His eyes widened. He quickly shook head head and laughed out of amusement and embarrassment. "That was nothing."

But the thugs shook their heads violently. Their thick arms crossed too, as if to emphasize their stubbornness on it.

"No, boss. We mean it."

"Yes. Because of that, we were able to eat."

"And feed our families, too."

"We are really thankful!"

Gray's chuckle softened. He could hear the sincerity in their voices. Still, he couldn't help but be embarrassed about it. He hadn't meant for them to find out. It was supposed to be quiet.

For him, it was just a way to make sure Rome wasn't the only one who got back on his feet. It was also a way of saying thank you because without them, they wouldn't be able to catch, at least one of the people who aimed to harm Rome.

"You didn't only take care of me, Sir," Rome muttered gently, his voice carrying a mix of pride and gratitude. "You took care of them, too."

Gray rubbed the back of his neck.

"Really, it wasn't much," he muttered. But the small smile tugging at his lips betrayed the secret warmth he felt.

Gray shifted his weight and gave them all another curious glance.

"So, what are you guys doing here, anyway?"

Rome and the four thugs exchanged looks before Rome stepped forward with a sheepish grin.

"We came here to say thank you, Sir. Properly this time. But also—" he gestured to the men behind him, "we wanted to see if we could help you, Sir."

"Help me?"

"Yes!" the tallest one said quickly, almost too eagerly. "If you've got problems, boss, we'll handle it. No questions asked."

"We can work here, every day if needed. For free." Another chimed in, nodding firmly.

Gray blinked, stunned for a moment.

"For free?"

"Of course," Rome said with conviction. "We heard your store just opened its online service. That must mean you're short-handed. Please let us help. Consider it as our way of repaying you for everything you've done for us, Sir1."

The four big men straightened their backs, puffing their chests out, as if they were pledging loyalty to Gray instead of volunteering in a grocery store.

Gray let out a small and incredulous laugh before shaking his head.

"That's no problem, guys, really. I didn't help you because I was expecting any kind of payment. I did it because I wanted to. That's all."

"Still…" one of the thugs mumbled, his voice was almost little despite his size. "We want to do this, boss. Otherwise, it feels like we're just taking advantage of you and never giving anything back."

Gray's lips turned to a smile, his chest warming at their sincerity again. "You guys…"

But before he could say more, hurried footsteps approached them. One of the store's staff members jogged up to them, his face was flushed and slightly panicked.

"Sir!" the young man called out, bowing his head quickly before blurting out the problem.

"Several orders just got cancelled again. There were no riders available to deliver them on time. We're really having a hard time with this, since most items were packed already."

Gray's expression immediately sharpened, and the earlier lightheartedness of their talk turned to frustration. His jaw clenched, and he turned toward the staff.

"That's the sixth time today," the employee added in, catching his breath. "If this keeps happening, customers might stop ordering altogether. We're also getting a few 1-star reviews."

"Shit. That's bad," Gray's eyes narrowed. His attention was now locked on the issue that had been haunting them all day.