The Unveiled Rose

"Zane," Steven's voice crackled with barely contained anger. "Hand the phone to Annalise."

Zane had no intention of obliging. "She's right beside me. Say what you want quickly."

Steven, his panic evident, blurted, "Annalise, if you really get involved with him intimately, there's no way we can ever go back to what we had." "Really?" I looked up and leaned to kiss Zane.

Zane looked at me, startled. A teasing smile played on my lips as I asked, "Is that supposed to be a good thing?"

Steven felt as though a chilling wave had crashed over him, leaving him cold and breathless.

"Annalise, please, don't act on impulse! You're an adult now... I'm begging you, don't just let any man into your life so casually."

Zane raised an eyebrow. "Mr. Pelham, don't ruin my moment." With that, he ended the call.

Lying back on the bed, I stared at the ceiling. "He's really strange."

He clearly doesn't love me, yet he acts like he cares so deeply.

Zane moved to sit a little farther from me. "That's just who he is. He didn't appreciate you when he had the chance, and now that you're gone, it's too late."

I let out a quiet laugh. "Not loving me, yet refusing to let go... how absurd."

Then, as if the reason suddenly clicked, I added with a hint of irony, "Maybe he just can't stand to see me happy."

Zane regarded me thoughtfully. "What I don't understand is this-if he were to get back with you, he wouldn't be able to give you a better life. He wouldn't cut ties with Jessica either. So why pursue you?"

I pondered Zane's question. "Maybe he thinks his love story with Jessica needs an audience to be more meaningful? And I'm the perfect witness?"

...novelbin

Cody was fast asleep. The housekeeper and driver had already gone home, leaving Jessica alone in the vast, empty living room.

She thought back to her encounters with Zane-the cold, detached gaze, the commanding presence. She couldn't help but feel an uncontrollable pull toward him.

But she had to admit one thing to herself: Zane wouldn't be easy to win over.

Even with all her charms, even though every man she had ever set her sights on eventually fell into her grasp, Zane was different. To conquer him would take time.

Jessica stood, resolving that she needed to maintain a good relationship with Steven. At the very least, until she succeeded with Zane, Steven had to continue footing the bill for her lifestyle.

With that thought, she picked up her phone and dialed Steven's number. There were always plenty of excuses she could come up with to get him to see her.

Steven's frustrated voice came through the line. "What do you want?"

Jessica's instincts told her something unpleasant must have happened to Steven. She ran her hand gently over her stomach. "Am I not allowed to call just because I don't have a reason?" It took a long time before Steven finally muttered, "Of course, you can."

"Come over to my house," Jessica said, moving to the balcony and gazing out at the brightly lit, yet eerily lonely courtyard. "I have something important to ask you."

Steven clearly had no interest in visiting her. "If it's important, just say it over the phone."

Jessica sensed his resistance but didn't push. "I just wanted to know... what Annalise likes. That way, when I see her again, I'll have more to talk about."

If Zane liked Annalise so much, all she had to do was figure out Annalise's preferences and mimic them.