Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed
Chapter 37

Suddenly, Roseanne was alone in the room. The alarm had gone off, making the lights brighter than before. With a few steps forward, she spotted a guide sign. After breezing through the second challenge, she heard a crowded commotion not too far ahead. It seemed the exit was jam-packed with people.

Just as she hesitated to push through the crowd, another wave of people surged from behind, leaving her nowhere to go.

In the chaos, someone pushed her to the side and stepped on her foot, causing her to gasp in pain as she got pressed against the uneven wall.

Then, she felt a gaze on her and instinctively looked up to meet the eyes of a man.

Murray's heart ached when seeing Roseanne in such a mess, yet he was annoyed, too. It was indeed her. The "Anne" he thought he heard wasn't imagined.

But then, it struck him odd that she'd be enjoying a haunted house adventure, seemingly living it up after their breakup.

"Murray?" Millie anxiously tugged at Murray's arm, shooting a defensive glance at Roseanne.

Avoiding further interaction, Roseanne pushed back into the crowd, aiming to follow the others out.

The flickering lights and the chaotic crowd added to the tension until a scream pierced the air. A faux wooden sword hung precariously above, threatening to fall right where Roseanne stood.

"Watch out!" Without a second thought, Murray let go of Millie and fought through the crowd, pulling Roseanne to safety as the sword crashed to the ground with a loud thud. It turned out to be a metal sword painted to look wooden. The potential danger was apparent. Shaken, Roseanne felt Murray's grip on her hand. He hadn't let go, but she quickly pulled away.

"Thanks," she said, her voice distant.

Murray's deep eyes clouded with a mix of feelings. "Is that all you have to say to me?"

She looked puzzled. What more was there to say between them?

"Why did you block me?" Murray stepped closer, his voice low and husky.

Roseanne was stunned.

Blocking each other during arguments wasn't new, but she always reached out first, but not this time.

Her smile came with irony. "Isn't removing an ex the normal thing to do?"

Murray frowned, caught off guard. "And when were you planning to add me back?"

Her response was soft but firm. "Maybe... never."

Frustration bubbled in Murray at her subdued demeanor. "How long do you plan to keep this up? Don't test my patience."

Her sarcastic laugh disappeared in the crowd as they got pushed apart again. Murray reached for her hand again but got swiftly taken by someone else.

From a short distance, Millie watched with jealousy consuming her. She pushed through the crowd to Murray's side, clinging onto him.

"Babe, let's get out of here. It's so dark and scary. I almost fell looking for you. I'm scared. Don't leave me alone, please..." Her voice trembled with fear, eliciting sympathy.

At that time, an announcement came through, indicating they had the issue resolved and asking the visitors to exit in an orderly fashion.

Roseanne didn't spare another glance as she walked out swiftly, with Murray following behind.

Millie bit her lip. "Murray, wait for me."

Outside, Leda had been anxiously waiting. Hearing about the potential danger inside, she was relieved to see Roseanne safe. "Are you okay? I was so worried when I heard the alarm." Roseanne smiled at her. "I'm fine. Let's go home. I'm exhausted."

But Leda had other plans. Seeing Murray and Millie emerge made her blood boil. "Not going home just yet. Men are a dime a dozen. Let's go have some real fun!"

Roseanne was puzzled but followed Leda into the vibrant nightlife of a bustling bar. Amid the smoky and perfumed air, with neon lights flashing, Roseanne felt out of place in her casual attire.

The live band played, and Leda ushered them into a private booth, ordering whiskey and a cocktail for Roseanne, who hardly had strong drinks.

Feeling the alcohol's warmth, Roseanne excused herself to the restroom, only to bump into Corley.

Their acquaintance was through Murray, and their interaction was brief.

"Small world," she greeted him politely.

Corley was out with friends and didn't expect to run into Roseanne.

"Alone?" He asked, eyeing her flushed cheeks.

Roseanne answered lightly, "No, with a friend."

"Murray?"

Roseanne's smile faded as she replied, "Nope. You guys have fun. I'm heading out."

"Anne." Suddenly, Corley called after her.

That nickname made Roseanne frown, but she kept a smile. "Something else?"

Corley asked, "Is it for real this time? You and Murray?"

Roseanne shot back. "Ever heard of a fake breakup?"

Corley's gaze was deep, and after a long pause, he finally nodded. "Fine, got it."

As Roseanne turned to leave, he impulsively lifted his phone and snapped a photo of her retreating figure.

Then, he opened WhatsApp, found the group chat with their mutual friends, and hit send.

[Photo]

[Guess who I bumped into]

Cliff: [Holy cow! Roseanne? For real?]

York: [At the bar?]

Cliff: [Do you even have to ask? It's our usual spot]

Corley: [Why the silent treatment? @Murray]