Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed



She spoke with such a nonchalance, as if everything that had once tied her to this world had been cut loose, no longer of any relevance to her. Murray felt a suffocating frustration, like the more he tried to grasp onto something, the quicker it slipped through his fingers like sand.

Once upon a time, he had spitefully uprooted the flowers she had tenderly cared for. Now, he was trying to make amends, presenting her with a garden blooming with fragrance and a riot of colors.

Yet, she seemed unimpressed...

"It's okay if you don't like it, we can go somewhere else..." he offered tentatively.

"It's not that, I do like it." Roseanne met his gaze squarely, her eyes clear and honest. "These flowers are truly beautiful. It's an innate appreciation of beauty and being moved by it."

"But if this is just a means for you to win me back, and these flowers are merely tools to that end, then such beauty is wasted."

"I don't appreciate that kind of waste."

Murray was taken aback, muttering, "...I just wanted to apologize for what I did in the past.”

"You said it yourself, it's in the past. Since it's over, there's no need to dwell on it. You've put so much effort into these flowers, I hope you can truly appreciate and enjoy them for what they are, not by how they relate to my likes and dislikes.”

"Just like... your life should be filled with work and pleasure, joy and ease, comfort and relaxation, not consumed by an attempt to salvage a relationship that shouldn't be saved, turning it into a mess."

"Murray, we are independent individuals, each with our own life goals, and thus, inevitably, we're headed in different directions. We've walked a path together in the past, but now we've parted ways. If we meet again, it should be with a greeting, not fretting over whether we can walk together again."

"Maybe we can, maybe we've both found better people... Letting go of the past, treating the present with dignity, and facing a future where anything is possible with openness that's what we should be doing, isn't it?"

A year had passed before Murray heard her call him "Murray" again.

But at that moment, there was no joy in him, only a sourness in his throat and a sting in his nose.

"It's over..."

He couldn't let go of the past.

Nor could he imagine finding someone better than her.

"Is there really no chance for us?" Murray asked.

Roseanne gently shook her head.

They had lunch together at the estate.

As soon as the food was served, Roseanne knew it had been carefully prepared.

Because it was all her favorites.

Ironically—

et

Back when they were together, it seemed fike he never remembered what she liked. Now, a year after their breakup, he hadn't missed a single one.

"Try this, Anne, I remember you liked it... and this one... and this...”

Murray spent the meal serving her, barely touching his own food.

"Thank you, that's enough. Don't worry about me, eat."

"Sure." He smiled.

Roseanne was surprisingly satisfied with the meal.

Putting aside the slight awkwardness of dining with flavors of the dishes and

ambiance were comforti

belongs to

The long table was by the window, overlooking a vast field of flowers.

Every dish was her favorite, even the rice was the Arborio rice she preferred.

Both her taste and sight were immensely gratified.

"...I'm full," Roseanne put down her chopsticks, wiping her mouth.

She wasn't lying; she had indeed eaten a lot.

Murray smiled warmly, his gaze tender: "Do you want to rest here for

a while? I had the room cleaned, and the sheets and duvet covers are all new." Exclusive content © by Nô(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.

UMS

Roseanne raised an eyebrow: "Would that be okay?"