Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed



The spectacle left the crowd absolutely floored.

Everyone craned their necks, watching in awe and admiration.

After a moment of thought, Roseanne made her way towards him.

Corley, spotting her approach, seemed a touch surprised.

"Thank you," Roseanne stopped in front of him, her eyes sincere. "Those reporters, they were your doing, weren't they?"

"Babur managed to rope in a couple, probably betting you guys wouldn't get the lab up and running. Wanted to blow things out of proportion, make a spectacle to undermine you in front of the school authorities. I just went with the flow, helped amp up the drama a bit. Makes the slap in their face sound all the louder," Corley explained, though he omitted another layer to his reasoning.

He'd warned Babur more than once before, but it seemed to fall on deaf ears.

If that was the case, then no one could blame him for playing hardball.

Some people just don't learn unless you really give them a reason to.

Nearby, Hans clapped excitedly, nudging Madeleine's shoulder: "Feeling relieved now? Little Roseanne isn't one to be pushed around easily. She's got big plans, alright. Nearly had a heart attack when I got the invite!"

Madeleine nodded with a content smile, "Roseanne certainly is decisive, knows how to hit back..."

She sighed, "Much stronger than I ever was."

Catching the guilt in her voice, Hans scoffed, "Well, she's our student, after all. No strong general ever had weak soldiers. We're not so bad ourselves!"

Madeleine rolled her eyes, "I certainly don't have your thick skin."

As the event drew to a close, it was time for Roseanne to ask Madeleine to name the lab.

Mamie and Scales busied themselves with setting up a table and arranging the stationery.

Standing before the table, Madeleine pondered for a few seconds before boldly penning down:

"Boundless Lab!"

Babur left with Edna, leaving Carlson and Grace behind.

From the moment she arrived, Grace hadn't uttered a single sneer or taunt, even as Babur and Edna relentlessly bad-mouthed everything. Looking at the man beside her, she voiced her regret and shame, "I had no idea Ms. Edna was like that..."

Yes, Murray was also there.

As Grace's boyfriend, he tagged along.

He wasn't like Owen Reynolds with influential academic connections, nor was he like Corley, who made significant contributions to the lab's establishment. noveldrama

He hadn't even received an invitation from Roseanne.

Despite explicitly asking for one if possible when signing the consent form for the lab - wanting to witness its inauguration.

But she... seemed really reluctant to see him again.

Not even bothering with the courtesy of a facade.

Roseanne didn't want to see him, yet he couldn't help but come.

Perhaps he wanted to see her success, or maybe catch a glimpse of her pride.

And he saw it-

Roseanne, surrounded by a crowd, her smile radiant, vibrant with life.

Her confidence and eloquence while introducing the lab, her engaging conversations with the guests, she shone like the sun, dazzling in her brilliance.

Murray was reminded of her in their college days, equally confident, graceful, and radiant.

It was love at first sight.

But after they got together,

especially once her company went

public and she was confined at

home, her smile turned from sweet to bitter, the vibrancy in her life slowly fading away.