The Reclaimed Rose (Annalise and Steven)

Chapter 266

We found ourselves in a café and sat at a table. Zachary's tutor and driver each ordered a slice of cake and some coffee.

The driver used a fork to cut a small chunk of his cake and put it in his mouth. After taking his time swallowing his food, he mustered the courage to tell me, "Don't you think you're too cruel to Zachary?"

He continued, "He's just five years old. He's a naive child. Do you know that he secretly cries when he sees you at the kindergarten gates, waiting to pick Willow up? He loves you so much. How could you not care about him at all just because you got a divorce?" The driver couldn't figure out why I did that to Zachary and must have been under the impression that all mothers had to love their children unconditionally.

My calmness was a stark difference to his frustration. I told him plainly, "Did you bother finding out what he's done to me before you asked me those questions?"

The driver shook his head. "I don't know what he's done, but surely, a young child like him couldn't do anything outrageous."

I once had the same thought, too. It was why I put up with Zachary over and over again.

With my teaspoon, I gently stirred my cup of coffee. I suppressed my emotions and put up with him until he worked together with Jessica to hurt me.

Who knew that a child could do that?

But it was precisely because of his naivety that he was manipulated by others to become a weapon to hurt me.

to defend myself. However, I didn't do any of that, nor did I explain myself. After a moment of silence,

driver was about to say something in response, but I grabbed my bag and stood up. I was about to walk away from the table when the driver stood up to stop

turned to Zane and asked, "She's so cruel to her own son, but you're

because I witnessed how Annalise's husband, their son, and his mistress colluded to

were to happen to me, my way of

in his voice made him sound like he was devoid of emotion. He said, "Annalise is

a hand to me. He had my back when others criticized me, which

for his hand and held it. With my hand in his, he led me out

car, he asked, "How do you feel

as if he was afraid I'd be affected

and try to defend myself if someone brought it up and confronted me about it. But

happened, I felt calm"Sovel

what they think. How they see me is

chuckled and said, "It's

after giving up on those

much more mature than I expected," Zane noted. "Thanks," I said,