Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed



"I just never thought you'd go to such lengths for Roseanne."

And even more surprising was how much she meant to him, enough to risk it all and set up such a scheme.

"A scheme?" Corley chuckled lightly. "Not really. Just going with the flow, offering a little nudge where it's needed."

Like Murray said, the plan was full of holes. If he had actually put his hands into designing it, he would have been skinned alive, if not worse.

"If you can't dodge such a simple play, then you'd deserve a stint in the slammer."

A deal with no losses, why not take it?

Success means sending him straight to jail, or getting Murray and Millie completely out of the picture.

And if not, well, he was more than happy to be a thorn in his side.

"Despicable!" Murray clenched his teeth, "You'd screw me over for a woman?"

Corley sighed, "She's not just any woman..."

She was Roseanne!

Murray scoffed, "Spare me the lover's act in front of me."

But he simply said, "You don't understand..."

"Oh, really?" Murray sneered, "Don't understand your selfishness or your scheming?"

"Corley, don't try to paint yourself as some kind of saint. If you really cared for her, why did you just watch for those six years we were together?"

Watch as Roseanne was mistreated.

Watch as she became heartbroken, and ultimately shattered.

"Don't give me that 'bro code' nonsense. You, of all people, have no heart. How could you be bound by morals? Let me tell you the answer-you did it on purpose!"

Murray had never been so clear-headed, "You intentionally watched her get hurt by me, suffer. Only then would she make up her mind to leave me, giving you your chance."

"Watching her struggle in pain, despair in her struggles, and finally transform into someone you could fall for. If that's not selfish, what is?"

To love someone means you can't bear to see them hurt.

But what did Corley do?

He was like a cold spectator, letting it all happen, even subtly encouraging it.

"Your chance was built on her suffering. You didn't stop it; you allowed my hurting her. How are you any different from me?"

"Plus, this time using Maisie and her

son to set me up... Corley, what doe you think Roseanne would think if she

saw your true colors?"

There was a pause on the other end.

Throughout these days, Murray had never felt as relieved as he did today, "She's the simplest, purest person, hates scheming, despises cunning, and you're exactly that kind of person."

"Face it, Roseanne will never love you. She only has eyes for someone honest and upright like Owen."

Once, he had been that man.

But now, neither of them were worthy!

"Bullshit! You're out of the game, don't drag me down! Whether Roseanne ends up with me in this lifetime is up for debate; but she'll definitely not go back to you you can be sure of that!"

This was the first time Murray saw Corley lose his cool.

He was panicking.

And Murray? He was smirking.

Seems like he wasn't the only one fond of deceiving himself.

Since neither was willing to let go...

Let the deception continue, and be wrong to the very end.

Murray said, "Don't worry, I won't tell her..."Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

Not just that, he'd even keep the secret actively.

Because—losing hope when it's most within reach, that's what really leads to despair, doesn't it?