Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

The neighbor gossiped, "Seriously? Without a job or education, what's she up to?"

"Oh, you know, playing sugar baby to the rich! Just lie down and spread her legs. And voila, her bank account's blooming. Why bother hunting for a job?"

"Yikes! Hazel, watch your mouth! That's a lady's reputation you're messing with!"

Hazel continued, "Hmph. If his daughter has worked a decent job, why hasn't she shown her face around here in years? She's ashamed, and that's why. Norris surely doesn't want the scandal. In a small town like ours, gossip spreads faster than wildfire. How's he supposed to keep his head high as a teacher?"

"Oh, my lord..."

These whispers never reached Norris. Even if they had, he might have kept to his silence.

In his eyes, what his daughter was doing wasn't much different from being kept as a mistress in a big house.

When Roseanne stepped off the train, she couldn't help but wrap her down jacket tighter around herself. Despite Pinehollow being farther south than Lumina City, it was still bitterly cold this time of the year. She sat in the taxi, watching the scenery reel backward, memories of her hometown slowly aligned with the view outside the window.

seen its heavy industries move out over the years. The government pushed tourism, leading to significant greening efforts along the roads. They had the old buildings refurbished and parks newly minted. Only the old town retained its original look, with the river

people would boat

would freeze over, breaking at the slightest touch and scattering like diamonds, shimmering

spanned the river, and the Cole family lived at one end. While she was walking through the alleys, the sign for Pinehollow Horizon Future Middle School Staff Quarters soon came into

of his generation at Twilight Peak Academy, Norris got specially invited to teach at Pinehollow

year, he

physics department. He also founded the school's physics competition team, sending quite a few students to international contests, all of whom went to prestigious universities and achieved great

hailed as a teacher whose influence spread far and wide wasn't an overstatement. His teaching excellence secured him

her father, Roseanne felt a

and this is your choice? For a man, you're willing to throw away your

think I, Norris, have failed so miserably

you leave with him, don't ever come

this? Are you

I'm not your father,