Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

Leda was craving something light and refreshing, so she ordered salmon sashimi and jumbo shrimp, her go-to favorite for a quick seafood fix.

On the other hand, Roseanne wasn't much for cold dishes, so she opted for chicken noodle soup and a side of sushi rolls. The soup was nothing to write home about, but its saving grace was the fresh ingredients.

Leda watched her eat with polite enthusiasm and teased her, "This salmon is so tender and fresh. Are you sure you don't want to try it? It might open up a whole new world for you."

Roseanne waved her off. "You know I can't get my head around raw food. I'll stick to my soup, thanks."

"You haven't changed a bit, have you?" Leda had always noticed how Roseanne stuck to her likes and dislikes stubbornly.

Speaking of changes, Leda suddenly remembered, "I haven't had a chance to visit the spa in days. I've been so busy that my hands are starting to feel rough."

Then, she sighed and added, "It's all because my dad's been on my case about going on blind dates. And my mom's not helping either. She's siding with him on this."

"It's not like they can't afford to keep me, so what's the rush?"

"And anyway, my cousin Owen hasn't settled down yet, so why should I be in any hurry..."

Speaking of Owen, Roseanne remembered they were neighbors but had barely seen each other since they last had dinner together, except that she once dropped off a sandwich at his place. Unaware of Roseanne's drifting thoughts, Leda popped a piece of sushi into her mouth, reminiscing about the last meeting. "Didn't you and Owen visit Ms. Payne the other day? How did that go?" Roseanne sipped her soup, and after a thoughtful chew, she swallowed and replied, "Well, it went about as you'd expect. Ms. Payne already reserved a spot for me, so I need to pass this year's grad school entrance exams."

Leda clapped her hands. "That's the spirit! I love seeing you so confident. As a reward, how about I take you somewhere special this weekend?"

Roseanne's curiosity was piqued. "Where to?"

Leda smirked. "You'll see when we get there."

...

After insisting, Roseanne had Leda drive her back to the library after their meal. It was still early enough to get some studying done.

After working through a few practice tests, she looked up to see the sun setting outside her window. The golden rays warmed her, casting a soft glow over her study area.

Stretching lazily after packing her books and papers, Roseanne heard the library's closing announcement over the PA system.

She grabbed her bag and headed out right on time, stepping into a sunset that painted the sky in vivid orange and red, looking just like a vibrant oil painting.

Slowly making her way home and pondering what to have for dinner, Roseanne's thoughts were abruptly interrupted by a shadowy figure approaching.

A week ago, Owen had been grappling with incorrect data from a recent lab experiment, leading to days of sleepless nights and repeated tests that yielded frustrating results.

The project's lead, a man in his

forties, had been working closely

with Owen since the beginning. The

unexpected issues had left him equally concerned. "The initial results were promising, and, everything seemed on track. Why

did the data suddenly go wrong?"

His brows furrowed in thought, Owen responded, "Experiments are about trial and error. The outcome isn't the only thing that matters."

"But incorrect data means the

experiment has failed. We've been over this countless times. Shouldn't a week be enough for us to see clearly? Cautious, the lead

progress, perhaps it's time tovel.net

suggested, "If we can't make

losses. Exploring a new direction might not be a bad idea."

our

theet

Owen's gaze was sharp, his voice steady, "Are you worried about the experiment failing, or do you think

Shifting focus to what you believe is

more profitable is the better p