Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed



Roseanne kept her silence.

The lab's renovation was a fact, as was its lack of output.

There was nothing left to argue about.

She settled back into her seat, just as Hertha Sherwood slid into the spot next to her.

She couldn't help but let out a light laugh, "Roseanne, so you've hit a rough patch too."

"Life's full of ups and downs, who doesn't have their bad days? But as the saying goes, the wheel of fortune turns; my today might just be your tomorrow."

"Tough words!"

Roseanne stared straight ahead, her expression unbothered.

Seeing her composed demeanor only irked Hertha more: "You think you can outsmart Ms. Edna? Maybe Madeleine could have in her younger days, but she's past her prime now. Too old to compete, let alone win. You being her protégé, all alone, you're just setting yourself up to be bullied."

"I remember how we both desperately wanted to be Madeleine's grad student. You won, I lost. But who would've thought it'd come to this?"novelbin

"So sometimes, winning isn't really winning, and losing isn't really losing. Bet you didn't see this coming, huh?" Hertha smirked, clearly pleased with herself.

What good did acing the exams do you?

Or being top-notch at interviews?

Even buying that fancy computer on your own dime, and yet, here you are, without a lab to call your own.

"Roseanne, ever since you and my brother broke up, you've been going downhill. Thought acing the exams would turn the tables? Make my brother regret letting you go? Make my mom rue the day she overlooked you as a daughter-in-law? Dream on!"

Roseanne laughed, her eyes twinkling with amusement, an evident joy radiating from her.

"From what you're saying... it sounds like acing the exams did indeed turn the tables, my brother did indeed take another look at me, and your mom does regret letting me go, right?"

"You-"

"But unfortunately," Roseanne's

smile faded, pursued my studies for the love of knowledge. Your perceived comeuppance' was merely incidental. As for what your brother and your mom think or how they feel, it's irrelevant to me. Because-"

"No matter how much your brother admires me now, or how much your mom regrets, I'm never looking back."

"You! You're ungrateful!" Hertha exploded.

"Oh."

"Hopeless! Shameless!"

Roseanne: "Your rage is impotent, your whole family's delusional."

"?!?"

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Carlson, sitting beside Hertha, couldn't catch the entirety of their exchange, but Hertha's clenched teeth spoke volumes about the

nature of their conversation.

Arkle nudged him, "Carlson, why do you think Hertha and Sybil always have it out for Roseanne?"

"Some people are just strange; if they can't succeed, they can't stand to see anyone else do well. Ends up, they lack both character and capability."

Arkle was momentarily confused,

taking a few seconds to digest the comment, "Exactly! Though I think Sybil's pretty capable. Barely see her in the tab, and yet she quietly published a paper. I wish I could be that efficient..."

Arkle was filled with aspiration.

He hadn't even started his project yet.

Edna didn't pay him much mind, unlike Hertha and Slater, who already had their research direction and projects lined up.

And Sybil? Edna showered her with all the best resources.

Arkle, the honest guy, neither had Hertha's wealth nor Slater's gift of the gab, and certainly not Sybil's luck.

All he could do was persevere.

The only solace was having Carlson, a fellow countryman, willing to lend him a hand.