Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

After pulling an all-nighter, Roseanne looked at her finished manuscript and decided to strike when the iron was hot by submitting it to Science, one of the three top-tier global academic journals, and

representing the pinnacle of human research in natural sciences.

Roseanne wasn't too confident about her submission getting accepted. After all, with so many disciplines, fields, and brilliant researchers worldwide, she was nobody in comparison. But she wanted to give it a shot.

Before dawn broke, Roseanne shut down her computer and caught some much-needed sleep. At eight o'clock sharp, she woke up, got ready, grabbed a quick breakfast, and headed to the library with her study materials.

She hadn't expected to run into Owen as she was leaving.

It was raining outside, and the umbrella he was holding was still dripping.

Roseanne greeted him, "Morning! You didn't pull an all-nighter, did you?"

Owen replied honestly, "Yeah, I was rushing to get some data out."

He had just returned from the lab and was about to head there again after grabbing something quickly.

"Here, take this." Roseanne handed him a cup of hot coffee. "It'll warm you up."

"Thanks."

"And remember to change your clothes after getting soaked." She pointed at his shoulder, and Owen turned to notice a wet patch.

"I should get going then." Roseanne smiled and headed downstairs.

By nine, the library was already bustling. Roseanne closed her umbrella and was about to enter when a familiar voice called out.

"Roseanne!"

Hertha was there to meet with university officials about her postgraduate exams. As she passed by the library, it started to rain, trapping her temporarily, but unexpectedly, she ran into someone she knew.NôvelD(ram)a.ôrg owns this content.

"Why are you here at the library? Another part-time job? You must be lacking in cash, but don't worry. I've talked to Murray about it, telling him to be more generous from now on."

"So, you should quit these part-time jobs as soon as possible. Taking care of Murray matters more than anything. I heard his stomach issues flared up again yesterday. You..." "Hertha, who are you talking to?" Before Hertha could finish, a voice suddenly interrupted her.

A tall, elegant middle-aged woman approached, wearing Chanel's latest spring haute couture, her well-maintained face showing hardly any signs of aging, and carrying a rare Hermès Kelly bag. Beverley approached her daughter and then noticed.

'Huh? Isn't this my son's budget girlfriend?' She smirked in her heart.

After giving Roseanne a once-over, her dismissive expression grew even more disdainful. Dressed in a T-shirt and jeans, with no makeup and hair undone, Roseanne wasn't presentable. Beverley glanced at the library behind, then at the two books in Roseanne's hands, her gaze deepening.

"Ms. Cole, what a coincidence." She emphasized the word "coincidence" quite heavily.

The implication was clear, 'To curry favor with me, you'd even stage such a poor encounter.'

"You've gone out of your way," Beverley sighed, "But as the old saying goes, a monkey in silk is still a monkey. Save yourself the effort in the future. I'm not buying it."

"Since we've run into each other today, I might as well make myself clear. Murray will never marry you. However, considering you've taken care of his needs over the years, there's no credit but some hard work. After he marries, we might keep a spot for you by his side."

"As for anything else, don't get your hopes up. Stay in your lane, and you'll last longer. Understand?"