Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

Glancing up and seeing Roseanne, a smile instantly lit up his usually expressionless face.

Roseanne was thinking about choosing shoes for the elderly gentleman, so naturally, it wasn't just about the style but comfort too.

Yet, comfort shouldn't overshadow style either.

She remembered once seeing an elderly man at the bookstore, leaning on a cane, dressed in a three- piece suit, his hair perfectly combed, exuding the aura of an English gentleman from head to toe. Clearly, he was someone who valued his appearance.

So, picking out the right pair took Roseanne a bit more time.

Leather was the material of choice for shoes, and she selected the two most comfortable types, asking the sales associate to bring out shoes made from those leathers.

Meanwhile, Owen Reynolds excused himself to use the restroom.

Soon after, Roseanne had chosen two pairs.

"I think either of these would work, Mr. Sullivan. Why don't you pick one?" she suggested.

Corley simply pulled out his card: "Why pick? Let's get both. If you chose them, the old man will definitely love them.

Roseanne couldn't believe it: "Really? Is it that exaggerated?"

"Just wait until you meet the grandparents yourself, and you'll see how highly they think of you."

"I'd love to meet them; they seem so kind..."

Corley's gaze softened momentarily.

While the sales associate was packaging the shoes, Corley poured Roseanne a cup of tea, noticing the water had cooled down, he asked another associate to reheat it.

Then he handed it to her.

"Have some tea, it's warm."

"Thank you." Roseanne took the cup, her eyes still glued to the shelf.

She wanted to pick out a pair for Norris.

"Do you need more water?" Corley asked, noticing her distraction.

"No, thank you," she replied, shaking her head.

He stood up, taking the empty cup from her hands.

This scene was accidentally witnessed by Kathleen Rodriguez, who was considering stepping into the store for a browse.

She arched an eyebrow but wasn't surprised.

She knew her son had been quite the social butterfly over the years, but Corley had always known where to draw the line. So, as his mother, she didn't interfere much.

Probably just a new girlfriend, she thought.

Pausing, Kathleen decided not to

disturb her son and stepped back et

outside, but the tender scene that

unfolded before her eyes left her slightly astonished.

Her usually proud son was pouring tea for a woman and personally handing it to her. After she finished,

he even took the cup back.

This attentive and considerate behavior...

It was hard to believe this gentle man was her Corley!

Kathleen frowned in concern.

A fling was one thing, but getting serious was another.

With this in mind, she scrutinized the woman more closely.

Corley was partially blocking her,

concealing her features, but her physique and demeanor were impressive, and her fashion sense was evident.

Checking her watch and remembering she had an appointment, Kathleen left without lingering.

She trusted her son to know which women were for fun and which were for serious commitments.

Arriving at the restaurant, Kathleen found Silver already there, lost in thought.

She sat down, teasing, "Who's got you so distracted?"

Silver snapped back to reality, "When did you get here? You scared me. It's nothing..."

"It sounds like something. Let's order and talk over the meal."

Soon, the table was filled with dishes.

Silver, however, lacked the appetite: "I just saw my son with a woman."

"Really? That's quite the coincidence, I saw my son with woman too."

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