Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

"Look at you, Roseanne, moving up in the world," the man sneered, his tone dripping with venom. "Jumping from one guy to another, quite the party girl, aren't you?"

His voice suddenly turned icy. "Who was that guy? What were you two doing upstairs?"

Roseanne's smile vanished as her hand throbbed in his tight grip. She tried to pull away, but he was using brute force.

The more she struggled, the tighter his grip became.

Roseanne shouted, "Murray, let go!"

Murray refused to let go. "Answer me first!"

Roseanne frowned, enduring the pain. "What's it to you?"

"As an ex-boyfriend, I think it's only fair I take an interest in my former girlfriend's love life, huh?"

A laugh escaped Roseanne, a hint of sarcasm in her gaze. "Oh, so you admit you're the ex-boyfriend. What brings you here, then?"

Murray got momentarily choked up. "Can't I just be passing by?"

the road is narrow enough without your car

Murray was silent.

realized the car that caused the commotion was

of her trash, she turned to him. "Whether I see someone new, one or two, or even three or four guys, it's none of your business. We're over, Murray. You know what 'breaking up' means,

your future, and I'd prefer it if you stayed out of my present and future. Let's just be strangers from here on out. And don't come to my place anymore. I wouldn't want your girlfriend getting the wrong idea. After all,

endured her wounds, so she didn't wish the same for Millie. Life in its prime should be about blossoming freely, not being

she decided to break up. It was time

unable to comprehend what just

the first time. It seemed something he owned was slipping away, and he

She didn't even look

"You've said that before..."

had their ups and downs, but Murray had

of "breaking up" calmly as if she

was speechless. The breakup was his idea. He was the one who let go of

at her place,

the couch.