Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

Murray froze in place. "You..."

Remembering what he did to her at the villa, Roseanne looked at him with both fear and caution.

"Don't come any closer! Stay away from me!"

"Anne..." A pang of pain shot through Murray's heart. "That day, I..."

Roseanne cut him off. "Stop it! Just leave. We have nothing to talk about."

"Anne..." With his eyes bloodshot, Murray stood rigidly, "I'm sorry. It was my fault. Can't we stop fighting? I shouldn't have, shouldn't have said and done those things..."

"I missed you too much... It was just a moment of impulse...I'm here because I want you to come back to me..."

"Come back?" Roseanne shot him a cold look. "To be what, your mistress?"

Murray blurted out, "If you agree to come home, I'll break up with Millie immediately."

Roseanne shook her head. "I refuse."

"Anne..." Just as Murray attempted to approach her again, Roseanne quickly turned and ran back to her bedroom, slamming the door shut behind her.

After a moment, the outside noise faded away, and she cautiously stepped out to check. She found Murray slumped against the wall, asleep.

not knowing what

stirred, and as Murray opened his eyes, a wave of dizziness hit him, causing him to squint uncontrollably. Once the dizziness subsided, he sat up, rubbed his temples, and

the cramped layout

emerged from

eyes with her

expressionlessly. "Do you remember what you did last

then shook

never say, "Anne, come

at eleven, you wouldn't stop knocking on my door, disturbing my life, bothering others.

still ached, and her words felt like a punch to the

critical gaze swept the room, and he scoffed, "This tiny, old

you begged

come back!"

his coat and stormed out, slamming the

corner of the street, he dialed Cliff's number. "What are you up to? Come out.

...

you just left a party. You still

to the bar, Cliff found Murray alone, downing drinks in the clothes from the previous day. He sat down beside Murray, teasing him with a

retorted, "I called you here

hands in surrender. "Fine, fine,

at the bar, with the staff gone, just the two of