Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed



Owen, dressed in black athletic gear with beads of sweat glistening on his forehead, appeared calm and collected.

His breathing was steady, betraying no signs of the vigorous workout he had just completed.

"Good evening, Mr. Reynolds."

"Why are you just getting back now?" Owen asked.

Roseanne replied, "I was at the library for a bit."

As they reached the seventh floor, she continued, "Oh, I've already cleaned the lunch box for you, just give me a moment..."

Roseanne quickly entered her apartment and returned with the lunch box in hand, passing it to Owen.

Suddenly, he asked, "Has Ms. Payne been leading your project group lately?"

"Yeah, but the progress is..."

"I've discussed it with her before; her approach is flawed. But you know how stubborn she can be. She won't change her mind until she's exhausted all other possibilities."

Roseanne had noticed this too.Belongs © to NôvelDrama.Org.

She even mentioned it to Madeleine, but was told there wasn't enough data to justify a change in direction, risking the past two years' efforts being in vain.

"How about we catch up over dinner this Saturday? We could brainstorm some ideas on how to persuade her."

"This Saturday?" Roseanne hesitated, "I'm sorry, I already have plans."

Owen paused, "No worries, we'll make it some other time when you're free."

"Sure."

On Saturday, Roseanne met up with Mamie at the Scales residence.

[I've informed the property management. Just give them the apartment number when you arrive.]

Scales had sent a message earlier.

Looking up at the apartment building, Roseanne felt a sense of anticipation.

Mamie whistled, "Scales must be loaded."

The apartment was owned, not rented, and the property deed bore Scales' name, something they had noticed upon signing in. "Come in, I've got disposable slippers for you."

Living on the twelfth floor, Scales greeted them and casually asked, "What can I get you to drink?"

Mamie's eyes lit up. "Got any soda?"

"Regular or diet?"

"Regular for sure. What's the point of soda if it's diet?"

Scales shrugged, then turned to Roseanne, "And you?"

"Just water for me, thanks."

She wasn't picky about beverages.

After changing into slippers, Roseanne took a quick glance around the apartment. The decor

was as minimalist as Scales himself, dominated by shades of black,

white, and grey.

Mamie, ever so bold, wandered around before stopping in front of a closet, pointing at something that looked both like a specimen and a sculpture. "What's this bone for?"

"Decoration," Scales replied nonchalantly.

"It's really unique. Where can I buy one? Could you share a link?"

"You can't buy it."

"Why not?"

"It's a human bone."

Mamie jumped back, startled.

Who uses human bones for decoration?

Seeing her reaction, Scales' lips curled into a slight smirk, "Just kidding. I'll share you the link later."

Mamie muttered to herself about his strange sense of humor.

Meanwhile, Roseanne had alre

taken out her laptop, "We've got three sets of data. Not too much, but it's not a small amount either Let's get started."

"Sure," they agreed, getting down to business.

Their efficiency exceeded Roseanne's expectations.

Scales' expertise was expected, but Mamie's contribution came as a surprise.

Although her foundation wasn't as

solid as Scales', her excellent

memory and ability to think critically

made her stand out. Her mental agility far surpassed her physical flexibility.

Mamie felt a bit speechless-unsure if she was being praised or teased.