Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed



Was I just going to let him hold her hand like that?!

And she just nodded and said, "Sure."

Then she let herself be whisked away by him?

Corley's eyes burned with jealousy. Who the hell was this guy anyway?

Normally, if he so much as brushed against Roseanne, she'd jump back as if scalded. But with this guy...

It was clear Corley hadn't paid any attention to Halley's chit-chat with the diner owner earlier.

"...Mr. Sullivan... Mr. Sullivan?!" The project manager accompanying Corley tried to grab his attention without success, raising his voice after two failed attempts.

"What's up?!"

Corley's icy stare made the project manager's skin crawl, his breathing hitched.

"Your phone, it's ringing."

Swallowing hard, the manager dabbed at his sweat.

Corley pulled out his phone, silencing the call without a word.

The manager felt a pang of fear, his anxiety spiking.

...

Meanwhile, the siblings had started eating.

"How's the taste?" Halley asked.

Roseanne immediately nodded, "Delicious!"

"The owner caters to construction sites mainly. Not only is the taste top-notch, but the portions are generous too."novelbin

"Here, have some more meat-" Halley forked some of his beef onto her plate before diving back into his meal.

"Bro, it's too much, I can't finish it."

"You'll manage. Look at how thin you've gotten, you need to eat more to grow."

Roseanne's response was silent; her brother's love was all about ensuring she was well-fed.

"By the way, that guy earlier, he didn't seem like good news. You're a young woman out here on your own; you've got to be extra cautious. Don't think I'm nagging, but better safe than sorry. Bad guys don't have 'bad guy' written on their faces..."

At this moment, Halley's sense of responsibility as an elder brother was overwhelming.

Especially with Norris and Madge away, he felt it was his duty to guide his sister.

As the saying goes, beware of fire, theft, and jerks—

Unaware he's been labeled as a

'jerk', Corley had lost all appetite. The

inatic and visually appealing dish

in front of him lost its allure.

All he could focus on was the laughter and conversation between the man and woman nearby.

Especially when he saw the man

sharing his food with Roseanne

without her refusal, Corley felt a rage boiling inside him, his jaws clenched tight.

UMS

Beside him, the project manager, starving and desperate, nearly cried.

Watching his boss's mood darken and the oppressive atmosphere around him, while tantalizing smells wafted from untouchable

food-someone save him, please!

Suddenly-

MS

Corley stood up, taking his plate and headed towards Roseanne.

"Roseanne, do you mind if I join you?" he asked with what he thought was a charming smile.

However, the reality was-

Dressed in dusty work clothes and a worn-out hard hat, he was no prince charming, looking as rough around the edges as Halley.

Roseanne paused, then quickly said, "Of course not, have a seat!"

She even flashed him a smile.

As Corley approached, a lightbulb went off in Roseanne's head.

If he was managing a construction site here, especially for a sizable resort, then he must have quite a few workers under him, right? Perhaps she could...

Roseanne's mind was racing with possibilities.

Sadly, Corley missed all this, basking in the glow of his crush's smile.

He felt like he was on cloud nine.

Even throwing a challenging glance at Halley: Who do you think you are, kid? You're out of your league!

Halley was baffled.

This kid's got nerve! Damn!