Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

Cruising down Orchid Street, Corley and Roseanne saw a breathtaking sight. Thousands of drones were hanging mid-air, shifting and morphing into various shapes with impeccable coordination. It was a drone show, a spectacle that commanded a starting price in the millions despite lasting barely fifteen minutes.

The area around the venue was bustling, and luckily, the spot Corley and Roseanne stumbled upon offered a prime view. Corley pulled over, and they watched in fascination as the drones danced through the windshield, forming intricate three-dimensional models.

Following Corley's gaze, Roseanne was instantly mesmerized by the luminous display.

Corley teased, "Guess how many drones are up there?"

"Is that even guessable?" Roseanne chuckled.

"Sure is."

"I've got no clue."

"I'd say..." He paused dramatically, "143?"

"Why 143?"

"Well, isn't the whole idea of proposing to love someone?"

The next moment, the drones rearranged themselves in the night sky to spell "Marry me."

know it was

deck where a man dressed sharply in a suit held a

Roseanne couldn't

pegged Corley as just another privileged, carefree heir before.

over dinner had touched on her field of study, and Corley had casually mentioned the stock fluctuations of NexTech Innovations. In just a few sentences, Roseanne realized

then again, thinking

to making money. The world of these golden boys was far more complex than she had imagined. Thus, gracefully stepping back was her

my place now. Thanks for the ride," Roseanne said as Corley's car could only stop

their

to the point

her

stick around. He watched her walk away before

called. "Where'd you guys vanish

finished paying

he ran

nearly a year

Qu

him into dinner plans and flirtatious teases, taking him quite an

Roseanne had something come up and needed to leave urgently. I dropped her off,"