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 alley, cursing, "Who the hell parked the car here, blocking the alley? Didn't you see the road is narrow enough

Murray was silent.

car that

showing up. After disposing of her trash, she turned to him. "Whether I see someone new, one or two, or even three or four

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, since you chose to be with her,

didn't wish the same for Millie. Life

she decided to break up.

stood frozen, unable to comprehend what

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

didn't

"You've said that before..."

their ups and downs, but Murray

of "breaking up" calmly as

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

her

on the