The Reclaimed Rose (Annalise and Steven)

Chloe stole a glance at Steven before lowering her head and saying hesitantly, "Didn't you used to buy jewelry for Jessica all the time?"

She quickly looked up again, watching him closely. This had already been exposed online-there was no way Steven could hide it from her.

Steven raised an eyebrow. "And?"

Chloe muttered, "Back when you were still married to Annalise, I didn't dare ask you for anything to set a good example.

"I was afraid that if I bought something, Annalise would make a fuss about it. She'd ask why I was always dressed in gold and diamonds while she, as your wife, got nothing. She'd question why you never spent money on her."

The more Chloe spoke, the more aggrieved she felt. If only Steven had married Jessica from the start, she wouldn't have had to endure all this.

She continued, "Since you've divorced Annalise and are with Jessica now, isn't it time you bought something for me, too?"

Steven frowned. "Aren't you a little too old for this?"

Chloe felt infuriated. Without thinking, she snapped, "So just because I'm getting older, I'm not allowed to have nice things anymore? Look at all the CEOs around your age and tell me: which one of their mothers doesn't own at least a few sets of fine jewelry?"

The more she thought about it, the more she felt wronged. Had all her years of sacrifice been for nothing? Her son didn't even acknowledge her efforts.

She pressed on. "All of them except me! Do you really want me to look like a joke in front of my friends?"noveldrama

Steven stared at Chloe, and for the first time he felt like he was looking at a stranger. His mind was suddenly clear. How had he never

realized before? His mother was just as selfish as the rest.

Steven replied calmly, "To be honest, after I got married, I was extremely stingy with Annalise and wouldn't even spend an extra cent on her. However, I was always generous with you.

"Your monthly allowance is probably more than any of those other wealthy ladies. If you want jewelry, you can buy it yourself. And yet, you're still asking me for more?"

Chloe muttered, "But the money isn't enough."

Steven scoffed like he had just heard something ridiculous. "Not enough? When my company was struggling, when + barely had anything to my name, you never complained about not having enough."

Back when Chloe was raising him, they lived on a tight budget, barely getting by on a thousand or two a month. However, he never resented her for being poor. After he had given her a comfortable life, she was stiff unsatisfied.

Steven suddenly felt exhausted—not physically, but mentally. It was a deep, suffocating kind of fatigue.

He realized no matter how much he gave, it would never be enough for her. Chloe snapped, "How is that the same?"

Steven didn't want to listen to her anymore. He was just about to tell her to leave when Chloe, sensing his impatience, blurted out.

"I'm asking for this because you bought so much jewelry for Jessica. You have no problem spending a fortune on her but are unwilling to buy something for me?"