Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

The first thing you notice is a pair of long legs in boots, topped with a camel coat over a white knit sweater, her hand clutching a large, elephant-grey Hermes tote. From head to toe, everything about her screamed sophistication and attention to detail.

The moment Liz laid eyes on Owen, her pupils dilated with excitement, "Mr. Reynolds, good morning!"

"Morning." Owen nodded slightly.

"Liz, let me introduce you to the newest member of our team, Roseanne. She's even younger than you by two years," Sammy was quick to share the news with her.

It was then Liz noticed an unfamiliar presence in the lab, pausing her smile for a moment.

Before Roseanne, Liz was the youngest in the research group, often doted on and held in high regard by everyone.

And she had every reason to be treated so.

A Masters from Columbia followed by a Ph.D. underway at Kingswell University, her academic credentials were indeed impressive.

Moreover, being part of Owen's research team itself was a testament to her research capabilities and academic excellence.

Roseanne stuck to protocol and greeted everyone, but Liz responded with a lukewarm handshake before quickly pulling away. Her disdain was subtle but palpable to Roseanne.

Jen's eyes darted between the two girls, though she chose to remain silent.

Owen clarified, "Just to set the record straight, strictly speaking, Roseanne isn't exactly joining our team."

"What?"

"She's here to conduct her own research project and is merely using our space."

Borrowing space?

Sammy couldn't hide his surprise. Owen never lent out the lab before... why now?

Others shared this confusion.

Jen and Stoddard exchanged looks.

Liz frowned deeply.

...

Owen led Roseanne to a separate workstation: "This will be your spot. If you need anything, feel free to ask me directly or jot it down on the blackboard. We have staff coming in daily to restock supplies." Roseanne nodded, noticing a blackboard to her left with a grid for tracking and notes. A slot was already filled with her name.

Noticing this, Liz asked with a touch of curiosity, "Which postdoc program are you in, Roseanne?"

"I just started my first year of Ph.D. this September," Roseanne answered truthfully.

"Just started graduate school?" Liz was genuinely surprised.

Meaning, this undergrad managed to land a research project?This material belongs to NôvelDrama.Org.

And even got Owen to make an exception for her?

What's her story?

Surname Cole...

Liz quickly ran through the prominent families of Lumina City in her mind.

Whether among nobility or academic elites, the surname Cole was nowhere to be found...What was her edge?

Before Liz could probe further, a hand gently grasped her arm, shaking their head subtly, indicating it was not the time for such inquiries.

After all, the workstation was unused, and it was within Owen's rights to allocate it as he saw fit.

Besides, the lab was Owen's personal domain; they had no say in its affairs.

Liz, not one to miss social cues, glanced forward. Even in a lab coat, Owen's stender physique was apparent, the soft light casting gentle shadows on his face,

revealing a stillness, a serene gentleness.

But she knew better; that gentleness was an illusion.

Nothing but research ever really occupied Owen's mind.

Thus, even if Liz spoke up, it was doubtful Owen would heed her.

More so when the person in question was brought in by him, and the workstation was lent out by him; what ground did they have to object?

...

Unaware of these undercurrents,

Roseanne dived into her work

almost immediately, re-evaluating her experimental process and

selecting control variables based on early data.

So engrossed was she that not even footsteps could break her concentration.

The lab was a haven of silence, everyone deeply immersed in their tasks, with only the occasional conversation briefly piercing the quiet.

That is until Owen decided to break the silence in the afternoon:

"It's been a while since we've all had a meal together. How about I treat everyone to dinner tonight?"

Jen and Sammy exchanged looks, both reading the same incredulous thought in each other's eyes!

Owen, the workaholic, was always about maximizing efficiency. And now, he was the one proposing a dinner?

Had the sun risen from the west?

Their gazes stealthily swept over Roseanne. If there was anything different today, it was the arrival of the newcomer. Wow! This Roseanne must be something special.

Jen, whose husband had just

returned from a business trip and whose child was well taken care of was all in: "It's been ages since I've had a night out. Plus, it's a great opportunity to welcome Roseanne to our lab."

Stoddard, ever the cheerful one, chimed in: "Jen's right. Besides, if you're footing the bill, Owen, I'm definitely in. Right?"

Sammy nodded eagerly, "Absolutely, it's not every day Mr. Reynolds offers to treat. We can't miss this chance."

Liz closed her laptop with a neutral expression, her voice cold: "I've still got a set of experiment data to analyze. I'll be working late, so count me out."

As Roseanne looked up, she saw Liz's beautiful features shadowed with a touch of gloom...