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.

things he

just get a divorce to

time with Jessica, his stomach problems have worsened, and now, he's even learned to hurt himself. If I give in and let Jessica be his mother, his life will

about to compromise and nodded eagerly.

To give this baby a

spilled over when

Steven suddenly fell silent.

Zachary do? He knew there was oil on the stairs

had meticulously planned every detail behind the scenes. And Zachary had known everything from the start but had

This was the child I had

Steven? Was he

He was one

lost all hope for Zachary. There's nothing left in

on, I would simply be Annalise Jamison. I didn't need any more burdensome labels. But

seriously, "Didn't you say you liked Jessica? I'm stepping aside

could never forget the day in the stairwell when Zachary told me Jessica wanted to harm