Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

The front row was filled with people around her parents' age.

"What's going on?"

Her boyfriend was equally confused, blurting out, "Why is it all older folks here?"

That comment touched a nerve-

"What's wrong with us older folks?! Got a problem?!"

Trying to clarify, her boyfriend stammered, "No, I mean... you're into fan culture at your age?"

"We're not chasing after pop stars, we're here for the literature! Got an issue with that?"

"Exactly!"

Her boyfriend was taken aback, exclaiming, "Madge's readership is this diverse?"

"Humph! We've been fans of Madge's novels for over a decade. Sure, we got married, had kids, and got swamped with work, barely active online, not into the whole ranking and streaming hustle like you youngsters, but we've always supported her by actually buying her books."

"Yeah, we've just been busy, not dead!"

the girl thought, sweeping her gaze across the venue,

enough, the host took the stage, delivering a brief introduction before Madge

"Ms. Madge is stunning!"

God! She's so

scaring the pants off me with those

day before, with a white chiffon scarf tied around her waist, Madge moved with a

Madge, and I'm thrilled to be

the audience with her sincerity -

venue erupted

among the crowd, her heart swelling with pride as her mother shone brightly on stage,

own smile mirroring" nov

the Q&A session came the moment everyone was

crowd

pushed along, trying

her from behind, sending her

as she was about to fall, a pair of hands reached out, steadying her by the

Roseanne couldn't help but exclaim, surprised to see the man in front of her. Owen coughed lightly, retracting his

the memory of her waist - just as he remembered, his hands could easily encircle it. Owen picked up a

here for your

read her work