Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

Abbey's mind soured at the thought.

The Cole brothers, with the eldest living the high life - no question about it. He was a big shot, miles apart from their average family.

Next up was her own family. Sure, Irving wasn't top of the line, but they were far from the bottom. Thanks to her parents' connections, Irving landed a cushy job as a manager at a diagnostics company, pulling in a cool $300k a year.

And there she was, with a steady job at the power company, and now Lauretta had joined the ranks too. By any standard, they were comfortably middle-class - more than comfortable, actually. Then there was the Norris family, trailing behind.

So what if someone got into Twilight Peak Academy? End of the day, they returned home, with Norris becoming a struggling teacher, the kind who doesn't know the first thing about making extra cash. Madge was just the icing on a cake that nobody wanted - a "full-time writer," which was a nicer way of saying "unemployed." Years went by without any groundbreaking novels. How many books had she published? How many rights sold?

Not even a single book signing. What kind of writer was that? She seemed more like a professional homebody!

And now, out of the blue, the Norris family was living in a villa?

In Pinehollow's finest residential area, no less.

Her parents had spent their life savings and could only afford a modest apartment - the smallest one available.

How on earth did Norris manage it?

"Irving, what's been going on with the Norris family lately? Anything unusual or off about them?"

"How should I know?"

"Aren't you his older brother?!"

"We don't exactly mingle much. Plus, didn't you tell me to keep my distance from them?"

Abbey was speechless.

True, she wasn't keen on mixing with the Norris clan. After all, who wants to associate with those doing worse than themselves?

She was even worried Madge might start asking her for loans!

Irving: "Why bring this up all of a sudden?"

"The Norris family silently buying a villa doesn't strike you as odd?"

Irving fell silent.

How could it not?

It was as bizarre as a beggar turning into a millionaire overnight.

Who wouldn't wonder about the backstory?

"Didn't the sister mention Anne bought it..."

"Hah, Roseanne? Where would she get that kind of money? Selling herself?"

"What are you even saying?!"

Wait a second...

Sold herself!

How had she not thought of that?

Abbey's eyes sparkled with disdain.

and

but beneath it all was

Unable jealousy and

frustration. Content belon veget

She whipped out her phone and dialed a number-

"Hey, Alva, you busy?"

"What's up, Abbey?"

"I was

ran

Lakeside Pearl

out properties today,

into?"

Alva sounded uninterested: "Who?"

"Madge and Roseanne!"

"At the sales office?"

"Yeah. Not just at the sales office, they bought a villa!"

"...What?" Alva doubted his own ears, or maybe Abbey was off her rocker.

He'd never associate the word "villa" with the Norris family.

"You sure it was Madge? Not the eldest brother and his wife?"

Abbey's lips twitched: "I'm not blind yet, no way I'd mistake them." Besides...

The difference between Raven and Madge was night and day; impossible to mix up.

Alva swallowed hard: "Their family, buying a villa? You sure you got that right?"

"I saw the purchase contract with my own eyes, how could I be wrong?"

"How's that even possible?!"

Abbey sighed. "Felt the same way at first, but who'd have thought? Norris' daughter, Roseanne, made it big After years away, she comes back and buys her parents a villa. Something we can only dream of..."