Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

"Hey, Murray! I can't hold it back anymore..." The phone call connected and Hertha was all set to let it out.

Murray sighed impatiently, "I'm busy here. I've got no time for your drama."

"It's not... who's making drama? The one overstepping is you, okay? How did you become such a penny-pincher? Don't you know that stingy men are as disgusting as rats?"

"Go bother someone else with your craziness." Murray had no idea what Hertha was talking about.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

But Hertha didn't care. "Roseanne, bless her. She cooks your meals, does your laundry, and keeps you company day and night. How can you not spare a dime? Forcing her to work odd jobs for cash, you want to ruin your reputation like that, huh?"

There was silence on the other end for a moment. "Who did you say?"

Hertha repeated it. "Roseanne."

Murray was confused. "Odd jobs... what do you mean?"

Hertha spilled everything she had seen. "You've gone too far this time. Even a loyal dog doesn't deserve this kind of treatment..."

Whatever Hertha said next, Murray didn't catch a word.

Echoing in his ears were, "Roseanne, odd jobs, making money...”

Even though she cashed the fifty million dollar check, she dared not use it.

Murray loosened his tie, his gaze deep, his expression hard to read, imbued with a profound mystery. He was deep in the thought. 'Hah, she left decisively then. I thought she could do more, but now, without me, she can't even make ends meet.'

"Hey, Murray, what's with the daydreaming? It's your turn." Corley pointed at the dice cup in his hand, reminding him.

"I'm out." Murray grabbed his jacket and car keys, ready to leave.

"I thought it was you who wanted this get-together?" Corley was puzzled.

Murray snorted, "Change of plans. Got something to do."

He figured it was about time for Roseanne to come back, huh?

...

Murray waited in his car, receiving a few calls of work and a flood of messages, but not the one he hoped for. He finally gave up waiting and drove straight to Leda's apartment.

With no relatives or friends in Lumina City, Roseanne always went to Leda's place whenever they fought. He had picked her up from there more times than he could count. So, he didn't need a GPS to find his way.

"Murray?"

Just as he got off, someone called him. Murray turned around to see Leda arm in arm with a young guy, probably heading home.

"What are you doing here?" Leda's eyes held a hint of wariness.

Murray asked directly, "Where's Roseanne?"

Leda asked him back. "What do you want with her?"

"I'm asking you where Roseanne is?" His tone grew impatient.

Leda was bold and lived life on the edge. Murray's impression of her was poor.

He even warned Roseanne to keep her distance so she wouldn't pick up bad habits. But the usually obedient Roseanne, in this regard, surprisingly didn't listen, souring Murray's view of Leda even further. Leda wasn't having any of it. "Let's get this straight, big guy. You two have broken up. What right do you have to come here asking for her?"

Murray scoffed, "How many times have we broken up? Can you even count them on your fingers?"

"So what?"

"Blocking me now is pointless. You're just wasting your time playing the villain."

In the end, Roseanne would always come back, begging for reconciliation.

Leda couldn't help but laugh at his arrogance and presumptuousness. "In your eyes, is Anne less than a dog to you? You take her when you want and discard her when you don't, assuming she's not significant or worth cherishing."

Murray didn't want to hear her ramble. "If you don't tell me, I'll find her myself."

Then, the young guy beside Leda stepped forward, blocking his path. "Sir, breaking into someone's home is illegal."

Murray didn't even glance at him, his eyes fixed on Leda, scoffing as he nodded, "Fine, I'll remember this. But it doesn't matter. Anne will return to me, tail wagging like a dog."