Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

The front row was filled with people around her parents' age.

"What's going on?"

Her boyfriend was equally confused, blurting out, "Why is it all older folks here?"

That comment touched a nerve-

"What's wrong with us older folks?! Got a problem?!"

Trying to clarify, her boyfriend stammered, "No, I mean... you're into fan culture at your age?"

"We're not chasing after pop stars, we're here for the literature! Got an issue with that?"

"Exactly!"

Her boyfriend was taken aback, exclaiming, "Madge's readership is this diverse?"

"Humph! We've been fans of Madge's novels for over a decade. Sure, we got married, had kids, and got swamped with work, barely active online, not into the whole ranking and streaming hustle like you youngsters, but we've always supported her by actually buying her books."

"Yeah, we've just been busy, not dead!"

Wow, the girl thought, sweeping her gaze across the venue, the fanbase indeed spanned generations.

Soon enough, the host took the stage, delivering a brief introduction before Madge was welcomed with a round of applause. "Wow-"

"Ms. Madge is stunning!"

"Oh my God! She's so beautiful!"

"Who'd have thought the person scaring the pants off me with those novels would be such a knockout! What a twist!"

Dressed in a black dress she'd bought the day before, with a white chiffon scarf tied around her waist, Madge moved with a grace that made the scarf flutter with each step, her elegance undeniable.

"Hello, everyone, I'm Madge, and I'm thrilled to be here with you all today..."

With a deep bow, Madge captivated the audience with her sincerity - a killer move that never failed.

The venue erupted into thunderous applause.

Roseanne stood among the crowd, her heart swelling with pride as her mother shone brightly on stage, her

own smile mirroring" nov

After the Q&A session came the moment everyone was eagerly awaiting - the book signing.

As the crowd surged forward,

Roseanne was pushed along, trying to sidestep the throng when

suddenly, someone shoved her from behind, sending her lurching forward.

Just as she was about to fall, a pair of hands reached out, steadying her by the waist.

"Thanks-Oh? Mr. Reynolds?!" Roseanne couldn't help but exclaim, surprised to see the man in front of her. Owen coughed lightly, retracting his hands.

His fingertips lingered with the memory of her waist - just as he remembered, his hands could easily encircle it. Owen picked up a book he'd dropped, dusting off the cover to reveal Madge's "Seven Days."

"I'm here for your mother's book signing."

"You read her work too?"

"Yeah."

Roseanne's look was one of mixed feelings, "You could have just asked for a signed copy. Why bother coming here?" "It's different."

"How is it any-" Before she could finish her sentence, another push from the crowd sent her stumbling into Owen's arms.

Her cheek pressed against his warm chest, leaving Roseanne momentarily stunned.

Owen tensed up completely. With her in his embrace, a simple gesture was all it took to hold her close.

His breath, slow and shallow,

brushed the top of her head, and et

Roseanne's heart skipped a beat, syncing with the thudding of his.

Realizing their proximity, she immediately tried to step back, but damn it, someone pushed her again!

This time, they were even closer.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Reynolds, I..." It wasn't her intention at all!