Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

Roseanne blushed slightly, "It's really nothing special..."

She had been with Murray for six years. The first two years, she was still in college, and for the latter four, she was confined to their sprawling mansion, her days revolving solely around Murray.

The cage of love he built for her was sturdy, but those years in confinement weren't entirely wasted. Beyond taking care of Murray's needs, Roseanne read voraciously, honed her skills, and consciously developed various hobbies.

As their relationship cooled and Murray's visits home became less frequent, Roseanne finally found time for herself. She enrolled in numerous classes and earned several certifications, filling her free time to the brim.

She always kept her father's advice in mind: "Learning never stops. You should always keep gaining knowledge and skills, because every new skill opens up another path in life."

Maybe deep down, she never really saw Murray as her rock.

...

After her class, Roseanne couldn't leave just yet; she had to guide the ladies through the practical part. As she had been teaching, many had followed along and prepared their own cups.

could you taste mine and give me

mine too, I'd love some

as well!

Roseanne tasted each one, giving her feedback generously. When it came to Mrs. Jackson's turn, the aroma of the tea had already wafted over before she even lifted the lid. "This is English black tea, isn't it?" Roseanne was a bit

and inviting smile, nodded,

the leaves were perfectly shaped, and the tea itself was bright

as a social pretense or to pass time,

sip, Roseanne couldn't help but praise, "This is

tea and

and we always keep a batch for ourselves each year. I happened to bring some today; if

that despite being a tea sommelier, she rarely drank tea, preferring plain

Jackson insisted, and

whole tea etiquette a bit pretentious and brewed her tea carelessly, ber