The Reclaimed Rose (Annalise and Steven)

Chapter 325

Chapter 325

Zachary unmapped each package one by one, carefully placing the cartoon merchandise resembling his mom, Annalise, around his room. As he worked, he suddenly remembered that his mom had once taken a few photos and they were kept in this very room. He rummaged through drawers and shelves until he finally found them tucked away at the bottom of the wardrobe. Gently, he cleaned the pictures and arranged them in every corner of the

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Lying in bed, clutching his blanket tightly, he inhaled deeply, surrounded by his mom's photos. For a fleeting moment, it felt as if she were still there, keeping him company. His heart ghorned, the ache momentanly subdued.

Although his current lite telt painful compared to the past, Zachary couldn't help but think of his dad. As compared to Steven, his own life didn't seem so unbearable after all.

Yet, not a shred of pity stirred in Zachary's heart for his father. Steven had made so many mistakes that the misery he endured now felt like well-deserved karma.

Closing his eyes, Zachary drifted into a light, hazy sleep, only to be disrupted by the shrill ringing of his phone, Groggy, he answered without looking at the screen. "Hello? What do you want?

said in a measured bone. "If I try to

no enthusiasm

to come back to us, the

curing him off. "I've already tried everything you can think of-crying, apologizing, begging her to

mend things with Annalise, each one failing miserably. Annalise had completely shut him out. She treated his apologies and his pain with the same cold indifference she had shown a stranget Zachary didn't

have school tomorrow," he

added, "Oh, and didn't you say you wouldn't send me any more allowance?

the call, witched his phone to airplane mode, and

were consed by the image of Zane

unable to rest. Even in moments of calm, he couldn't stop envisioning annalise's smiling face, the love in her eyes as

fiery pain in his heart was unbearable,

escape the torment, Steven dialeda friend

recent troubles, none of his friends

booking a