The Reclaimed Rose (Annalise and Steven)

Steven slumped onto the sofa, his entire body drained of strength. He stared blankly at the ceiling, his eyes bloodshot.

The thing he had feared the most had come true: Zane had been in love with Annalise all along. This meant that Steven never stood a chance.

Tears rolled down Steven's face. How had he not seen it? How had he not realized that someone had been watching Annalise with quiet, unrelenting determination?

If Steven had noticed it earlier, would it have made a difference? Would he have realized that Annalise was not some possession that only he could claim? That even without him, she was wanted, and that leaving him hadn't left her alone?

Would that sense of urgency have made him cherish her? Would Steven have chosen to settle down, to give up his reckless ways and love Annalise the way she deserved?

Regret clawed at Steven, but what baffled him the most was Zane's patience. How had he endured it for so many years? How could he have known that Annalise was married-that she belonged to someone else—and still had chosen to wait?

Zane had even watched Annalise get married and have a child. Yet he had never once lost control, neither did he ever reveal a trace of his true feelings.

Steven shut his eyes. After a long silence, he let out a bitter laugh. While he took Annalise for granted, someone else cherished her.

A sharp, unbearable pain twisted inside him; his heart felt like it was tearing apart. The agony was suffocating, leaving him gasping for breath.

Desperate to numb the pain, Steven turned to alcohol. Grabbing several bottles from the fridge, he drank them recklessly, one after another.

He knew it wouldn't change anything. He knew that when he woke up tomorrow, the pain would only be worse. But still, he welcomed self-destruction.

Just then, the sound of someone at the door pulled him from his downward spiral. He calmed down slightly and forced himself to stand and open the door.

Chloe was standing outside. Steven turned away, heading back to the living room with little interest.

He asked, "Do you need anything?"

The heavy stench of alcohol hit Chloe the moment she stepped inside, making her frown in displeasure.

Ignoring his question, she asked, "Why did you drink so much? Do you feel unwell? Should I make you some soup?"

Steven was mindful of Chloe's affection. In the past, he would have thought Chloe was simply showing him motherly concern. He would have believed she cared.

However, he saw her exasperated expression and guessed he wasn't just there out of love. She wanted something from him.

Steven suddenly felt exhausted. He said flatly, "No need. If you have something to say, just say it."

Chloe ignored him and headed straight for the kitchen. "Wait a moment. Let me make some soup first. Drink it, then we'll talk."

Steven shut his eyes, his voice calm and unhurried. "There's no need. I'm not drunk yet. Whatever you want to say, Dcan answer you just fine. I'm no different from usual."

Hearing this, Chloe hesitated before turning back to him. "Are you sure?"

Steven met her gaze, and at that moment, he was hit with a sense of clarity.

Every ounce of effort Chloe put into him was conditional. Everything she did for him was done with the expectation of something in return. She was nothing like Annalise.

Annalise had loved him unconditionally. Even when he gave her nothing in return,

she had loved him wholeheartedly. And yet, he had let her go.

How had he been so blind? How had he lost someone like her?

His vision blurred with the sting of regret, the rim of his eyes reddening. But still, he nodded. "Yes."noveldrama

Upon seeing that Steven wasn't

lying, Chloe finally sat across from him. Her hands fidgeted on her lap betraying her unease. She knew what she was about to say might be not

too much, and Steven mine

agree.