The Reclaimed Rose (Annalise and Steven)

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Steven shot up. "No way!"

"So much has happened these past few days." I held his gaze. "First, Zachary is adamant about being with Jessica."

Steven, usually so calm and composed, now spoke with a tremor of fear in his voice, "He's just being foolish, honey. I've never crossed any lines. You can hate Zachary, and you can blame me, but you can't leave me."

His voice became almost pleading at the end.

Yet he was still shifting the responsibility onto Zachary, completely oblivious to the fact that my pain stemmed from his complicity and indulgence. He couldn't tell that the love I had for him over the years vanished at that moment when I fell down the stairs.

I continued, "And then I realized that even after you promised me you wouldn't contact her anymore, you two were still in close contact."

Steven opened his mouth, then closed it again. He was clearly caught off guard by the fact that I already knew done in secret.

His fists were clenched, and his expression was filled with pain.

the things he

turned to look out the window. "At that point, I thought maybe I should just get a divorce to make

spending time with Jessica, his stomach problems have worsened, and now, he's even learned to hurt

nodded eagerly. "Yeah, honey, so we

then I found out I was pregnant. To give this baby a complete home, I've been desperately convincing myself to

emotions spilled over when I mentioned the

Steven suddenly fell silent.

was oil on the stairs and knew I would be

had known everything from the start

the child

Steven? Was

one

is gone, and I've lost all hope for Zachary. There's nothing left in this home that I want to hold onto." All

good wife and a responsible mother. From now on, I would simply be Annalise Jamison. I didn't need any more burdensome labels. But I wouldn't spare those who had hurt me. "What about me?" Steven

stepping aside to make

in the stairwell when Zachary told me Jessica wanted