Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed
Chapter 191

The moment Roseanne heard the location was near Westside Road, just around the corner from Leda's company, her heart leaped to her throat, nearly choking her with anxiety.

Uncle Joe, as he liked to be called, had promised to get her there as fast as possible. What would normally be a half-hour drive through the city's congested streets, he managed to slash in half, testament to his unwavering resolve. Stepping out of the car, Roseanne hadn't even made it inside the hospital when the wail of ambulance sirens filled the air.

"Move! This is the second wave of victims from the Westside Road pile-up. Get them to the ER-now!"

Seeing the stretcher bearers unload patients, their bodies limp and covered in blood, sent a chill down her spine, hastening her steps.

She quickly found the nurse's station and mentioned Leda's name-

"Are you family?"

"Yes, I was called over."

"You should..." the nurse paused, her eyes brimming with sympathy, "go see him."

Roseanne felt her heart sink.

With a trembling hand barely under her control, she took a deep breath, twisted the doorknob, and the next second, her eyes landed on a body covered with a white sheet on the hospital bed. Her knees buckled, almost sending her crashing to the floor.

That's when a voice suddenly called out from behind-

"Anne, what are you doing here?"

Roseanne whirled around.

There stood Leda, as lively as ever, looking perfectly fine.

"You scared me half to death! Who's under that mask-"

"What brings you here?" The nurse who had initially directed her walked by, a frown creasing her brow. "Your friend's in the next room."

Roseanne was at a loss for words.

Then, pointing at Leda, the nurse added, "She was right behind you when you pushed the door. How could you mix that up..."

Roseanne was totally speechless.

In the hallway.

"Still mad?" Leda playfully linked arms with her. "I'm sorry, okay? Don't stay mad. You know they say anger speeds up aging? And my Anne, you're too beautiful to start wrinkling early." Seeing Roseanne's mood darken further, Leda quickly added, "But even if you aged, you'd still be the most beautiful, most elegant lady around..."

Knowing Leda was safe had already eased most of her frustration, but Leda's goofy charm now drew a laugh from her.

"Alright, alright, all is well now! Not mad anymore, right?"

"When the hospital called saying you were in an accident, my soul practically left my body. So, what actually happened? How did you get hurt?" Roseanne was relieved it was just a scare, but the sight of Leda's facial injury still made her frown.

"I was off work, thought I'd try that new BBQ joint near Westside Road. Didn't expect to walk into a chain collision. Got hit by some flying glass shards and then took a nasty fall."

"I didn't want to come to the hospital, but the paramedics saw the cut on my face and feared it might affect my brain. Just to be safe, they insisted I come with them in the ambulance." Riding in the ambulance for the first time, surrounded by other victims wailing in pain, Leda admitted she was scared too.

A bit closer, and she might have been the one in the ER.

Roseanne, realizing the gravity of the situation, clasped her hand:

"I'm just glad you're okay, truly glad."

The tenderness in Leda's eyes melted away as she smiled, "Don't you know me by now? I've always been lucky, always landing on my feet. And you, you really thought I was a goner?" Leda was certain, had she not spoken when she did, Roseanne might have burst into tears right then and there.