The Reclaimed Rose (Annalise and Steven)

"I'm heavily pregnant, and I need someone to care for me. Can you afford to hire a nanny if I move in with you?" Jessica asked matter-of-factly. "Plus, Cody's in the best kindergarten in the city, and the tuition costs hundreds of thousands a year. Can you cover that?"

Each question hit Casper like a punch, leaving him speechless.

Jessica took a deep breath and continued, "Steven's angry now, but I know if I wait long enough, he'll calm down. Then everything will return to normal-he'll continue providing me a comfortable life."

"So you're just calling to vent?" Casper asked. "You never meant to come back to me?"

There was a long pause before Jessica finally said, "That's right."

"Fine," Casper muttered.

He had forgiven her time and again, only to be hurt over and over. But now, it was clear-Jessica didn't need his forgiveness. She'd be fine with or without him.

"Steven's probably just acting out of anger. Don't let it get to you," he added.

Jessica understood Casper was trying to comfort her. "I want to throw a tantrum badly, but I can't. He's in love with Annalise. All he cares about is earning her forgiveness.

"If I cause trouble now, he might walk away from me for good. All I can do is stay quiet, stay home, and wait. Sooner or later, he'll cool off and keep caring for me and the kids."

She felt a sense of relief once she was done speaking.

"But doesn't this make you weary?" Casper asked.noveldrama

"It does," Jessica said. "But struggling through life is draining as well. Casper..."

She was struck by a memory of the simplest days of her life before the Gibsons had gone bankrupt.

She smiled and added, "Back then, I lived however I wanted and bought anything I desired. Our love was real. You adored and spoiled me, never pressuring me to do anything I didn't want to.

"You always tiptoed around me to avoid upsetting me. Knowing how much you sacrificed for me is why I agreed to have two children with you."

She spoke with sincerity. "I've long accepted that no one else will treat me the way you did."

Casper let out a long sigh. "If only my family hadn't gone broke."

"If they hadn't, I'd still be by your side, waiting for our second child to be born," Jessica said.

Silence settled between them. Neither had anything more to say.

Chloe spent a long time thinking at home. Finally, she concluded that Steven's anger stemmed from bow well Annalise was doing after leaving him.

Her success made him look like a complete jerk by comparison. If Chloe could manage to split up Żane and Annalise, Annalise's life would inevitably crumble.

Steven would see her scraping by, working for someone else, and finally realize she wasn't all that special.