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

couldn't catch up, I had no choice but

...

identity and quickly found out that

clearly hadn't anticipated this outcome and immediately apologized, "I'm sorry. We misunderstood

tears streamed

poured my heart and soul into raising, had just called another woman "Mommy" in front

of the officers tried to comfort me. "Kids just

seen many misbehaving kids, but one like Zachary, who wouldn't even acknowledge his mother,

felt completely lost and

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

"It's fine. Thank you."

contact Steven to get Zachary back. Besides, I wanted to ask him why didn't the teachers at the

and told the driver Steven's company address, then sat

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

tears that I had fought so

like Jessica that much? So much so that

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

I was about to push the door open, I heard people

having a good temper and loving

the same age but dresses like a

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,

worthless person in the

Steven, asking, "What do you really think, dude? If you really don't have

it clear that even if Jessica were divorced