The Reclaimed Rose (Annalise and Steven)

Chapter 8

At the school gate, my own son repeatedly denied that I was his mother in front of so many parents. Zachary emphasized time and again that Jessica was his mother. Even though my heart was already shattered and bleeding, I still tried to convince myself that he was just a child and didn't understand the consequences of his words. "Zachary, I'll give you one more chance to choose! Take a good look at me, calm down, and think carefully. Who are you choosing between her and me?"

Everyone's eyes were on Zachary. He hid behind Jessica, pressing his forehead against her back. "I choose my mommy, of course!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Jessica cast a strange glance at me, then tried to carry Zachary away. "What a lunatic!"

I certainly couldn't let her leave. I hurried after them to block their way. But someone stood in front of me.

I lost control. "I need to go after my son! You can't stop me!"

A flurry of voices chimed in, all expressing their disdain for me.

"Has the trick of human traffickers evolved to this point?"

"Yeah, look at how anxious she is. If we didn't know better, we'd think she was the kid's mother."

"Exactly!"

"We need to be more careful in the future!"

Their disdainful gazes fell upon me, but I didn't have the energy to respond. I desperately wanted to catch up with Zachary. But no matter how I ran, someone would always block my way. When the police arrived, Jessica had vanished without a trace. Only then did the crowd part in front of me.

Well-meaning bystanders rushed to the police. "Officer, you wouldn't believe how rampant human traffickers have become.

"She came to the kindergarten, trying to snatch the child from his mother. His mother ran away with the kid, and she still tried to go after them. If we hadn't stopped her, she might've really succeeded!" I never imagined that Zachary would actually leave with Jessica right in front of me, especially after I had come to the kindergarten to pick him up.

I stood frozen, dumbfounded.

"Someone reported you as a human trafficker. Please come

catch up, I had no choice but to cooperate.

...

the officers verified my identity and quickly found out that Steven was

outcome and

fault." As I talked, tears streamed down my face uncontrollably.

called another woman "Mommy"

one of the officers tried to comfort

me after that. They had seen many misbehaving

felt completely lost

stepped forward. "Do you need

"It's fine. Thank you."

him why didn't the teachers at the kindergarten recognize me but knew Jessica. Steven's

driver Steven's company address, then sat quietly

ten-minute journey would be enough to help me calm down, but the more I

that I had fought so hard to stop began to fall

much? So much so that he was willing to abandon me, his

Steven's company, I didn't linger but headed straight to his

the door open, I heard people inside discussing

now old and ugly. She's like an old hag. Besides having

same age but dresses

day, only thinking about chores. She's so boring and dull. But Jessica is completely different. She's lively and full of energy! If I were you, I'd definitely divorce Annalise and be

a worthless person

Steven, asking, "What do you really think, dude? If you

filled with eager anticipation, making it clear that even if Jessica were divorced with