Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

After dinner, Leda was whisked away by a phone call, leaving Roseanne to escort her parents back home.

Despite a long day of browsing and shopping that left them exhausted, Norris couldn't contain his excitement as he scrolled through the photos on his phone. "...I'm telling you, this enamel-coated silver goblet...and this coral-inlaid silver brooch..."

His voice echoed through the staircase.

Madge couldn't help but smile at his childlike enthusiasm, a rare sight for her.

Roseanne played the part of the attentive listener, chiming in only when prompted.

The family of three laughed and chatted as they climbed up to the seventh floor, with Roseanne reaching for her keys to open the door.

Just then, the door opposite theirs opened.

"Oh? Heading out, Owen?" Norris greeted warmly.

Roseanne instinctively turned her head, her gaze unexpectedly meeting the man's smiling eyes.

He was dressed simply yet elegantly in a white short-sleeved shirt paired with khaki trousers, his appearance both clean and restrained.

that night she'd drunkenly

drunken escapade with Owen, Roseanne awkwardly

smile deepened slightly as he nodded at

"Still working this late?"

some data to

let's catch up over a game of

"Sure."

the relentless demands of

themselves out and decided to head back to their hotel, allowing

home, Beverley felt utterly drained, her body

I've got

rushed downstairs, beaming with excitement

had just received her acceptance letter from Kingswell University, where

gifts she'd sent

ginseng, donkey hide gelatin-that were initially meant for Madeleine Payne but were declined, had

a high-quality diamond bracelet through a middleman, costing nearly a million. She avoided direct contact to prevent any backlash

bought by Edna for five hundred dollars, a clever move to avoid any potential scandal. Edna delivered, and