Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

Madeleine admitted it. "Yeah, I'm getting old. I can only guide two,"

Hans mumbled, his lips curling in a moue of discontent. It was evident the third slot was for Madeleine, yet she would not admit it outright.

"Ms. Payne. Oh? Mr. Olson is here, too?" Carlisle strolled in with two younger students, setting down a bouquet of fresh sunflowers on the table. "We're just here to check on Ms. Payne."

Amidst the casual conversation, one of the students mentioned, "I heard a freshman this year is brilliant. Got straight into the combined Bachelor-Master-PhD track."

At Kingswell University's School of Life Sciences, it'd been almost a decade since anyone got into the direct PhD track from undergrad, and no more than three students had managed it.

"This freshman won gold at the International Mathematical Olympiad and the International Informatics Olympiad last year, securing her spot in our department."Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

"Two gold medals? That's pretty cool. But I remember a senior. She must have been one of Ms. Payne's students, who entered undergrad with four gold medals, one in math, physics, chemistry, and computer science each! What was her name? Rose or something like Anne?"

"Looks like it's about time!" Hans interjected, "You guys should head back to campus."

"Oh, alright then. We'll be off."

"Yeah."

Once the students had left the room, the one who had brought up the senior looked visibly downcast. "Carlisle, did I say something wrong? Ms. Payne and Mr. Olson seemed upset."

Carlisle looked equally puzzled.

Back inside the room, Hans said, "Those students didn't mean any harm. Don't overthink it."

Madeleine waved him off, but her lips trembled uncontrollably, and tears began to well up in her eyes, eventually spilling over. "She was such a genius. She shouldn't have... Why didn't she value her gifts?" "Take it easy..." Hans tried to console her.

"Hans, do you know what she said to me the last time we met? She said she wanted love. Hah, she wanted love? She broke my heart..."

Outside the room, Roseanne stood with the lunchbox in hand, her tears flowing freely.

'I'm sorry... Ms. Payne...'

Ultimately, she couldn't muster the courage to enter, leaving the lunchbox at the nurses' station. "This is for Ms. Payne. Could you please give it to her? Thanks."

The nurse called out to her. "Hey, you haven't left your details! Why the rush?"

Roseanne ran out of the hospital building, gasping for the fresh air, but the overwhelming guilt lingered.

"Roseanne?" A tall woman with flawless makeup approached her, her heels clicking on the pavement, swinging a classic Chanel bag.

She embodied sophistication in a blazer and pencil skirt, her hair cascading over her shoulders. It was Hertha Sherwood, Murray's younger sister.

"Roseanne? Why aren't you at home? What brings you to the hospital?" Hertha glanced at the building. The general ward was not for maternity check-ups. Hertha breathed a sigh of relief for her mother. If Roseanne were pregnant, an emergency wedding would have Beverley Sherwood fuming.

"Hertha." Roseanne managed a weak smile.

Hertha noticed it. "Why are your eyes so red? Have you been crying?"

Roseanne remained silent.

"Another fight with my brother?"

"No."

Hertha figured Roseanne was just being stubborn, looking at her with sympathetic eyes.

She was fond of Roseanne, who was both pretty and had a great personality. But Roseanne wasn't good enough to meet the Sherwood family's standards since Beverley valued academic achievements, preferring a high-caliber scholar as her daughter-in-law.

Hertha smiled. "Being with my brother is exhausting, right? He's not easy to deal with. Bear with him."

Roseanne murmured, "We've split..."

"Anyway, I've got things to do, can't stay and chat." With that, Hertha glanced at her watch and headed back inside.

Hertha was there to visit Madeleine, having heard she favored bright and diligent students. And she had dressed up specially for the occasion. Whether she could secure that direct PhD spot was up in the air.