Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

However, his movement was halted by another hand the next second, catching his mid-swing. Corley frowned, eyeing the newcomer with annoyance, "You?" Roseanne murmured, "Mr. Reynolds, how did you..."

Her voice almost broke at that moment.

Owen's gaze settled on her face. "Are you okay?"

Roseanne nodded. "Yeah," but her voice was thick with congestion. That wasn't true.

Owen offered, "I've got my car here. Can I give you a lift home?"

Roseanne said gratefully, "That would be great, thank you."

Owen wrapped an arm around her, ready to leave.

To Roseanne, she felt like a pebble teetering on the edge of a cliff, unstable until Owen showed up, grounding her. "Mr. Reynolds, what brings you here?" Next to the estate was a luxury hotel where he attended a conference. Taking a break, he stepped out for some fresh air and stumbled upon the scene. Owen answered lightly, "Just here for something."

"Wait!" Corley caught up, "Owen, you've lost your way. The conference is next door. It is my private estate here."

Owen stopped in his tracks, Roseanne halting alongside him.

Corley said, "I can take care of my guest. No need for Mr. Reynolds to trouble himself."

Owen turned, his gaze briefly sweeping over him. "Did you ask the guest what she wants?"

Roseanne quickly spoke, "I'll go with Mr. Reynolds."

Corley was at a loss for words. "Anne..."

Owen said, "Let's go."

"Hold it!" Murray couldn't hold back anymore, seeing Roseanne tangled up with the two men. "Roseanne, where do you want to go?" Roseanne answered quietly, "Home."

"Hah... To this man's home, right?" Murray pointed at Owen, a sneer creeping onto his lips. "Are you that desperate? Can't live without a man?" "Were you already messing around behind my back before we broke up? Roseanne, you're something else!"

"I leave, and you just move on like that? Even going after someone I know, you're truly disgusting!"

In a rage, Murray lost all reason, wanting to shame Roseanne, whom he viewed as fickle and ungrateful in the most extreme way possible. Then, he turned to Corley and Owen. "My ex is so appealing to you, huh? Fighting over her? Does she deserve it?"

Roseanne couldn't stop shaking, Murray's words cutting through her like knives, blood gushing out with every slice. When the pain reached its peak, it turned into numbness.

Her eyes, reddened, fixed on Murray's distorted face, her teeth chattering from the cold as if she got submerged in ice water. At that moment, she felt utterly senseless.

Owen frowned deeply, Roseanne's frail figure trembling in the cold wind as if a mere touch would send her tumbling down.

"I thought what we had was real after six years. But now, I realize how little I meant to you."

Her voice was low, choked with sobs, a mocking smile on her lips. "It turns out I've been wrong from the start, leading to a cascade of mistakes with no way back..."ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

Seeing her pate face, red eyes, and the tears streaming down, Murray felt he had been struck on the head a tightness in his chest making it hard to breathe. He moved his lips, trying to grasp something, but was speechless.

After a long silence, he rasped out, "Why?"

Anger flaring, he turned to Corley, raising his voice, "I'm asking you why! Knowing Roseanne was my woman, why would you do this?"