The Reclaimed Rose (Annalise and Steven)

Chapter 211

Gavin asked, "And then?"

"I asked her if she thought I loved her." Steven was truly confused. He believed he loved Annalise, yet everyone around him, including Annalise, seemed to think he loved Jessica. Gavin, clearly annoyed, responded, "She probably said you loved her."

He hated Annalise and instinctively assumed she would do something he found detestable.

"No." Steven's eyes were distant. "She said I loved Jessica."

Gavin couldn't believe his own ears.

Steven asked, "Am I really that bad of a husband? Six years together, and I never made her feel my love."

The room fell silent. Everyone exchanged looks, unsure of how to respond. Objectively, it was clear that Steven had been at fault. But as his friends, they instinctively sided with him.

As everyone struggled to find the right words, Gavin seemed to have made up his mind on how to comfort Steven. "Honestly, I'd say it's Annalise's fault. She knew you loved Jessica, yet she still married you."

Unsure whether it was the alcohol or guilt, Steven's voice trembled as he said, "Actually, before we got married, she didn't know I was still in love with someone else. She always thought I loved her.

problems on purpose to push her away. But she solved all of them just to

spoke, he felt like more and more of a failure. He had hurt

disliked her. But hearing Steven's words now, he felt his resentment fade. He began to understand how hard Annalise's situation must have been. The young lady, freshly graduated and full of dreams about love, resolutely

Gavin felt that

respond.

in one

another drink and downed

he was

QUMS

how to console Steven, he finally muttered, "No matter the

untikhe was heavily intoxicated.

the couch like a broken

wrong?" Jessica asked

replied honestly. "Can you come pick him

I should go. You'll have to

the beeping sound on the phone,