Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

Murray was officially out of the game from that moment on.

...

Millie was in good health and received the vaccine in time, quickly turning the corner from danger. After a thorough check-up at the hospital, confirming no critical issues, they returned to the island.

Just in case, Murray arranged for a doctor to go with them to take care of Millie.

In the room, Millie lay weakly on the bed while the doctor was checking on her.

Murray stood by the bed. Several times, he thought about stepping out for a smoke, but then Millie said, "Babe, I'm scared..."

"Please don't leave me alone, okay?"

"What if another snake comes to bite me? Oh no..."

Remembering how Millie had risked herself to save him, Murray's heart softened. "Okay, I won't go. Just cooperate with the doctor's check-up."

"Hmm." Millie nodded, her eyes brimming with tears.

After the check-up, the doctor removed the IV and left.

Left alone, Millie tried to sit up. Murray reached to help her, and she leaned into him, resting against his chest. "Babe, my leg hurts. Do you think it'll scar?"

"It won't. The doctor assured us."

"But it hurts..."

"The doctor has just applied the medication on it. Bear with it a little."

While talking, Murray's mind

wandered. He remembered when Roseanne had twisted her ankle during a College track meet but insisted on finishing the 800-meter run. Afterward, her ankle was so swollen that she couldn't walk properly.

Murray had taken her to the hospital, where the doctor scolded her for being reckless, nearly damaging her bone. Yet she didn't complain, just a faint redness around her eyes. Murray had called her foolish, saying she shouldn't have run in the first place and thinking she should have stopped immediately.

But Roseanne said, "I wouldn't graduate if I didn't meet the requirement. I had to grit my teeth and get through it! Besides, it hurts so much. Why are you still scolding me?" "Babe? What are you thinking about?" Seeing he hadn't responded, Millie propped herself up and shook his arm.

"What did you say?" Murray snapped back to the present, looking down at her.

"Just... I heard it's hard to avoid

scars, no matter how good the medication is. Will my leg look terrible then?" The thought of having two snake bite marks on herdeg

made her frantic.

Perhaps because Millie had saved him, Murray was patient this time. "How could that be? Trust in modern medical technology. And even if there is a scar, plastic surgery is an option..."

Before he could finish, Millie suddenly hugged him tightly around the waist and mumbled into his embrace, "Would you hate me if I got a scar?"

Murray froze, unsure how to answer, then heard her cooing, "Even if you despise me, I won't leave you. I love you. I'll always be by your side, forever and ever."

A complex look flashed in Murray's eyes as he lifted his hand, gently stroking Millie's hair, but found himself at a loss for words.

After a while, he spoke, "Thank you. If it weren't for you, that snake would have bitten me. Whatever you want, say it. I'll do my best to fulfill it..."

"You don't need to thank me." Millie suddenly looked up at Murray, her gaze sincere as if he were her entire world, "I'm more than willing to do it."

"I know you still have Roseanne in

your heart... but it's okay. I don't

mind. I believe you'll only have me in

your heart and eyes one day. You protect Roseanne, and I'll protect yout."