Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

Cruising down Orchid Street, Corley and Roseanne saw a breathtaking sight. Thousands of drones were hanging mid-air, shifting and morphing into various shapes with impeccable coordination. It was a drone show, a spectacle that commanded a starting price in the millions despite lasting barely fifteen minutes.

The area around the venue was bustling, and luckily, the spot Corley and Roseanne stumbled upon offered a prime view. Corley pulled over, and they watched in fascination as the drones danced through the windshield, forming intricate three-dimensional models.

Following Corley's gaze, Roseanne was instantly mesmerized by the luminous display.

Corley teased, "Guess how many drones are up there?"

"Is that even guessable?" Roseanne chuckled.

"Sure is."

"I've got no clue."Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

"I'd say..." He paused dramatically, "143?"

"Why 143?"

"Well, isn't the whole idea of proposing to love someone?"

The next moment, the drones rearranged themselves in the night sky to spell "Marry me."

"How did you know it was a proposal?" Roseanne was astonished.

Corley pointed toward the viewing deck where a man dressed sharply in a suit held a bouquet of roses hidden behind his back.

"Impressive," Roseanne couldn't help but admire.

She had pegged Corley as just another privileged, carefree heir before. Today, she saw his professional, meticulous, and observant side.

Their earlier conversation over dinner had touched on her field of study, and Corley had casually mentioned the stock fluctuations of NexTech Innovations. In just a few sentences, Roseanne realized his financial acumen was intimidating.

But then again, thinking about

Murray and his circle of friends, including Corley, none were slackers when it came to making money. The world of these golden boys was far more complex than she had imagined. Thus, gracefully stepping back was her best exit strategy.

"We're at my place now. Thanks for the ride," Roseanne said as Corley's car could only stop at the lane entrance.

Aware that their relationship hadn't

progressed to the point where he

would escort her to her doorstep,

Corley didn't stick around. He watched her walk away before he drove off.

Not long after, Cliff called. "Where'd you guys vanish to? I turn around, only to find you're gone."

Cliff had finished paying the bill

when he ran into his ex-girlfriend

from nearly a year ago. She clung to

Qu

him like glue, dragging him into dinner plans and flirtatious teases, taking him quite an effort to shake off.

"Oh, Roseanne had something come up and needed to leave urgently. I dropped her off," Corley explained casually.

"And Murray? Weren't we supposed to bring him along, make it look like a chance encounter?" Cliff had been holding back this question.

Corley replied indifferently, "I couldn't find him. Probably, he's with his new girlfriend."

Since Murray's meetings with his girlfriend were neither frequent nor sparse, Cliff didn't suspect a thing.

"Such a missed opportunity," Cliff sighed.

Ending the call, Corley parked by the roadside and transferred money to an unfamiliar account.

The recipient called soon after, "Trust Mr. Sullivan to be so straightforward. Looking forward to working together again."

If Cliff had been there, his jaw would have hit the floor.

On the other end was none other than his clingy ex-girlfriend!

Corley responded coldly, "Sure thing."

"But I'm curious," she continued, "Why go through all this trouble to have me stick to Cliff to buy you ten minutes? Was it necessary?" Corley's actions were a testament to the lengths he'd go, not just for success but perhaps for something or someone more personal.