The Reclaimed Rose (Annalise and Steven) novel Chapter 562

Was there still time for Steven to learn how to love and care for someone?

If Annalise saw he was a changed man, would she give him another chance? After all, Annalise and Steven had a child together.

The more Steven thought about it, the more uncertain he became.

…

That afternoon, it was time for the kindergarten event. We arrived at the auditorium right on schedule.

Zane and I sat in the front row.

Behind me, Suzy leaned forward nervously and whispered in my ear, "This is my first time sitting so close to the front."

"Me too," I replied with a smile.

Suzy looked surprised. "Aren't you nervous at all?"

I blinked at her in confusion. "Nervous about what? I'm just focused on capturing Willow in the best way possible. That's all I've been thinking about."

Suzy suddenly remembered the event's purpose. "Have you figured out how you're going to do it yet?"

I shook my head and responded, "Nope. I'm still trying to figure it out."

"Yeah. It's my first time filming Penelope. What a meaningful occasion. I should give it some thought as well."

With that, Suzy leaned back into her seat.

I pulled my camera out of my bag and began adjusting the settings. Carefully, I tweaked everything until I was satisfied that it would clearly capture the scene before me. Only then did I set it down.

There were people who didn't care about me, like Steven.

I remember when I took Zachary out, and Steven was right beside me. I was struggling to carry our child, who weighed several dozen pounds. My arms were aching unbearably, and I wanted to hand the baby to Steven.

However, he jeered, "How tiring can it be to carry a child? I've never seen anyone else complain about carrying their kid. Are you the only one who finds it difficult? You're being dramatic."

Then, Steven stormed off, leaving me to seriously ponder if I was the problem. I forced myself to carry Zachary all the way home. By the time I placed him on the couch, my arms were so exhausted I could barely lift them.

Back then, I thought I might be too weak. I told myself I needed to exercise more to become stronger so I wouldn't have to trouble anyone again.

I shift my gaze forward, lost in thought.

The sad truth was that I didn't understand what love was back then or what it wasn't. When things happened, I only knew how to find fault with myself. It never occurred to me to consider whether Steven's behavior was also problematic.