Serena’s heart sank; she had never expected them to be so heartless this time. They didn’t even consider her dignity in front of the staff; not a shred of respect was given!
"Serena, don’t be too down. Mr. and Mrs. Collins just want you to realize your mistakes and straighten up. Give it a few days, and they’ll cool off. Everything will be back to normal."
Serena knew it wouldn’t be that easy this time, but she still managed a polite response, "Thanks, Betty. I’m okay. You’ve done me a solid already. The gift was delivered; it’s their choice not to look at it or taste it. I was in the wrong from the start. It’s not on them. You’ve done a great job."
Betty felt so sorry for Serena. Mr. and Mrs. Collins had never treated her like this before, but all she could offer was a few words of comfort.
Meanwhile, Rosemary parked her car in the underground level of a sprawling shopping mall and took the elevator up to the ground floor.
Carol had been waiting there and upon she saw Rosemary, her face lit up with a radiant smile, "Rose, over here!"
"Carol, long time no see," Rosemary was relieved to see her standing there, healthy and vibrant, a stark contrast to her previously frail appearance. She felt genuinely happy for her.
"It’s been ages since we caught up. I heard from your brother you’ve been overseas saving lives and back home juggling work, barely touching the ground. Catching you for a moment seems like a feat,"
Carol said as she linked arms with Rosemary.
"I’m used to this jet-setting lifestyle. Where’s he?"
"I sent him packing. Didn’t want him to third-wheel our girls’ day out." Carol led Rosemary into a quaint flower shop next door, "I only found out later that Crystal loved ice-blue roses."
The florist greeted Carol with familiarity and quickly apologized, "Sorry, we’re out of ice-blue roses today. They’ve all been snapped up."
"Not even a single one?" Carol had hoped to buy some to join Rosemary in paying tribute to Crystal.
"Afraid not. That couple just cleared us out."
The couple at the counter turned around after paying the bills, the man holding a lavish bunch of ice-blue roses. Upon seeing Rosemary and Carol, the couple seemed taken aback, probably not expecting to run into them there.
"Mr. And Mrs. Temple," Rosemary greeted first. They looked a few years older, perhaps burdened by bad news, their usual vitality seemingly dimmed.
Alger and Celeste couldn’t help but reminisce about the past when they ran into Rosemary, who had once been their daughter Crystal’s lifesaver. They remembered how Rosemary had fought tirelessly for hours on end in the operating room to save her.
"Rose." Celeste greeted her warmly with a nod, before turning to Carol, "Carol, are you here to buy flowers too?"
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