The Reclaimed Rose (Annalise and Steven)

Zane's caption read, "Little moments."

Zane was normally stoic and reserved, and he hardly ever posted on social media before now. When his photos began garnering attention online, his followers commented, "Is the little girl your daughter, Mr. Huxham?" He replied, "Yes."

"And the beautiful woman in the back-is she your wife?" someone asked.

Zane glanced at me before replying, "She will be."

He was dating Annalise now, but it was obvious he wanted more out of their relationship. He wanted them to move forward as a couple and become husband and wife.

The comments that poured in were more or less the netizens' sentimental musings. One of them wrote, "Mr. Huxham was single for so long that we were led to believe he was a workaholic who would never marry. In reality, he just hadn't met the right person until now." Zane gave me another look, his eyes glittering with mild amusement.

However, one comment stood out from the congratulatory ones. It was from Steven, who had typed, "Did you get Annalise's consent before posting her pictures online?"

Zane did not reply to Steven immediately. Instead, his gaze darted to Annalise, who was nearby.

He noted the gentle look on her face as she humored Willow. She no longer looked as forlorn as she had when she first came to his home; she was radiating with confidence. Only then did Zane respond, "How would you know if I didn't get her consent?"noveldrama

Steven countered, "Has she agreed to go public with you?"

"We've been public for ages. Didn't you know?" Zane retorted curtly. He ignored Steven's reply after that and carried on enjoying the idyllic afternoon.

He had been cooped up in the office since he established the company and built up the business. It was rare for him to have time to do the things he liked, and even rarer for him to get a day to kick back and retax.

He wasn't about to spoil it by bickering with Steven.

BUMS

Unfortunately, his phone rang mere minutes later. Zane glanced at the number flashing on the screen and headed to the other side of the restaurant to take the call.

He took his time answering the call. The person on the other line was patient enough not to hang up. Pressing the phone to his ear, Zane asked, "Hello?"

"Do you have any idea of the impact those pictures would have on Annalise's life?" Steven demanded in an accusatory tone.

"Like what?" Zane asked, raising a brow.

Steven began, "If you don't marry Annalise"

Zane couldn't help but cut him off when he heard this. "No, I will marry her. You can rest easy."

The rest of Steven's denigrating speech died on his tongue. It took a while for him to break his silence. "How are you so sure that Annalise is the e one? What if you only realize she isn't right for you after marriage? What will you do then? Will you leave of divorce her?"

"I wouldn't be dating her if I thought she and I wouldn't work out in the long run," Zane pointed out sardonically. "I've always been cautious with my decisions, Steven." This left Steven speechless.

Zane was a cautious man who wouldn't mess around when it came to love. But what about Steven? Would he fool around and make light of his romantic relationships?

He sat in the silence of his office and stared at the distant scene beyond his windows. After a moment of introspective thought, he realized he was predisposed to take his relationships lightly. Steven had moved to a new city in a fit of rage after Jessica left him. That was when he met Annalise.

Annalise was kind to him, so he

dated her and used her as revenge against Jessica. After that, he felt so guilty that he broke up with Annalise. Alas, he couldn't bring himself to tell Annalise the truth.