Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

After lunch, Leda snagged two tickets for a dolphin show, excited to take Roseanne along.

Wading through the visitors, they followed the crowd toward the southwest to find the marine show arena. Inside, the air conditioning was a godsend, providing a stark, blissful contrast to the scorching heat outside.© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

Roseanne wasn't particularly keen on animal shows, but Leda adored dolphins. During the interactive segment, she handed her camera to Roseanne, asking her to snap some photos. Leda's beaming smile eventually pulled a hesitant grin from Roseanne as well.

Half an hour later, as the show concluded, Roseanne handed Leda her bag, mentioning she wanted to use the restroom.

Turning a corner, Roseanne saw Millie washing her hands at the sink. She hesitated for a moment, then brushed past Millie toward a stall.

Emerging later, Millie was still there, seemingly waiting for her. Roseanne ignored her, focusing intently on washing her hands. The only sound was the drip of water. The silence was palpable, the air thick with tension.

Looking up, Roseanne accidentally caught Millie's gaze, then quickly diverted her eyes as if she were a stranger.

But Millie broke into a smile, glancing at her wrist where a bracelet peeked out from under her sleeve.

"Roseanne, what a coincidence," she said.

Roseanne didn't bite.

Undeterred, Millie continued, "How have you been lately?"

Roseanne offered a polite smile. "Not bad."

Millie seemed to search her face, wondering whether her calm was genuine.

After a brief pause, Millie said with a laugh, "Really? It must be hard, moving out of that big house, huh?"

Roseanne retorted, "You needn't worry about me."

"I should thank you, truly," Millie's eyes shimmered with tears, her youthful face exuding innocence, "If you hadn't stepped aside, I wouldn't have Murray all to myself now."

Roseanne listened silently, rinsing her hands meticulously. She washed with care and focus from the back of her hand to her fingertips.

"You saw the balloon display earlier,

right? Today's my birthday. That was Murray's surprise for me," Millie's lips curved up. She casually lifted her hand, "Oh, and this is his birthday gift to me. Pretty, isn't it?"

"He said my hands were soft and

~

delicate, perfect for this brace

thought of kissing me when hes it..." Blushed, Millie's eyes gleamed like a peach refreshed by dew.

Roseanne instantly recognized the logo on the bracelet as Millie rotated her wrist. It clicked. That day at the jewelry store, Murray picked Millie's birthday present. Turning off the tap, her nails digging into her palm brought her back to reality. With a self-deprecating smile, Roseanne said, "Is that so? Well, congratulations." With that, she walked away.

...

Leda was waiting at the exit, waving at Roseanne as she emerged.

"Still hungry? You look pale," she asked.

Feeling drained, Roseanne pinched her nose. "Leda, I want to go home."

"It's only three o'clock. We've barely been here a few hours!" Leda's eyes widened in dismay, grabbing her arm. "Come on, stick around a bit

longer with me. I've queued as up on the app."

en swnovels.net

She blinked innocently. "It's the most popular attraction in the park, the Haunted Village."

Roseanne raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you scared of ghosts?"

While Leda was typically bold in her work and personal life, she had a surprising fear of heights and ghosts, even trembling at the mere mention of horror movies. Leda put on a bold face. "No way! With you by my side, I'm totally at ease."

Roseanne sighed, resigned. They decided to go.

At the entrance of the haunted house, the employer reminded, "Electronic tickets, please."

Leda whipped out her phone, scanning it at the gate, and they were in with a beep.