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.

police approached me. "Someone reported you as a human trafficker. Please come with

had no choice

...

my identity and quickly found out

and immediately apologized, "I'm sorry.

As I talked, tears streamed down

raising, had just called

to comfort me. "Kids

that. They had seen many misbehaving kids, but one like Zachary, who wouldn't even acknowledge his

lost

my state, an officer stepped forward. "Do you need us

"It's fine. Thank you."

Steven to get Zachary back. Besides, I wanted to ask him why didn't the teachers at the kindergarten recognize me but knew Jessica. Steven's company wasn't far from the police

the driver Steven's company address, then sat quietly

initially thought that this ten-minute journey would be enough to help me calm down,

fought so

Jessica that much? So much so that he was

arrived at Steven's company, I didn't linger

the door open, I heard

now old and ugly. She's like an old hag. Besides having a good temper and loving you, she has nothing going for

She's the same age but dresses like a

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

such a worthless person in the eyes of

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

with eager anticipation, making it clear that even if