Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

She looked around, the room devoid of light, submerged in a silence as profound as death.

Thank God it was just a dream. Yet, she was gasping for air as if she'd just been dragged up from the deep ocean, desperate for fresh air.

Ding! A night breeze swept through, causing the wind chimes in the entryway to tinkle softly. Roseanne glanced outside, the murmur of ocean waves distinctly audible. The lingering unease from her nightmare refused to dissipate. Unable to fall back asleep, she threw on a jacket and went for a walk.

The gentle breeze felt sharp against the cold temperature in the middle of the night. Roseanne wrapped her shawl tighter around her shoulders, her feet sinking slightly into the sand with every step. The stars hid themselves, leaving the night in darkness, with only a few sparse lights illuminating the shore.

Thinking back to the day's harrowing event, Roseanne couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. Her intuition told her they had overlooked some details.

Each incident seemed accidental, yet occurring together felt too coincidental. Although the lifeguard insisted his delay was due to a bathroom break, his over-justification seemed forced.

Roseanne looked up, stopping in her tracks.

Corley stood by the shore with his back to Roseanne and was on a phone call.

"Jared, what's the best move for a situation involving my friend?"

"Handle it privately? That's out of the question. International litigation is a hassle, but I'm not one to shy away from a challenge. Let's do it by the book." He was fully aware of why the hotel's response was so arrogant.

certainly had the clout to back up their attitude.

paused, then his lips curved into a smile.

I couldn't sleep. Thought I'd

chill. Roseanne asked,

pursuing accountability is a bit different. I've never

toward a beach hut not far behind them,

had expected her

him like

།

turn of events. So, surprise flickered in his eyes, swiftly replaced

the afternoon,

he

opted

Roseanne smiled. "Thank you."

beer bottle. "I decided on your behalf without asking. I'm glad you're not

chosen to let the corporate legal team start international