The Unveiled Rose

"I know you love me," Steven said, though he couldn't quite explain why he was so certain of Jessica's feelings. Somehow, her affection for him was something he could sense without effort.

But Annalise's love for him, her quiet kindness, and everything she had done for him? He hadn't realized it until he lost her. Only then did he see how much of his easy life had been built on her silent sacrifices. A flicker of regret passed through his eyes. "A few days ago, I was so desperate to reconcile with Annalise. When you offered to help, I agreed on impulse.

"But now, something feels off. If a man has to rely on another woman to chase after his ex-wife, doesn't that just make him look useless?"

Jessica reigned displeased, scolding him lightly. "Don't you dare to talk about yourself like that."

"Alright," Steven replied with a soft smile. "I'll listen to you."

Satisfied, Jessica added, "Good. Since you've made up your mind, I'll stay home, take care of myself and focus on the baby."

Of course, she had no intention of sticking to that promise. The idea of not pursuing Zane? Impossible. If she succeeded, her future would be filled with wealth beyond her imagination.

But until she reached her goal, she needed to keep Steven happy. It was the only way to ensure he kept supporting her financially.

...

Back at the office, I handed the fountain pen I had just bought to Zane. "Here, it's for you."

He glanced at the brand on the pen and asked, "Why'd you buy such an expensive one?"

Leaning casually against his desk. I replied, "Cheap pens don't last, right? I figured a pricier one would hold up better."

Zane opened the packaging and slipped the pen into the pocket of his suit. Standing up, he looked at me and said, "Thank you."

I shook my head lightly. "It's nothing."

Setting the pen aside, Zane stepped closer and pulled me into an embrace. "I'm really happy," he murmured.novelbin

I blinked in surprise. "Hasn't anyone ever given you a gift before?"

He hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "No."

Something about that felt a little sad. Hugging him back, I said softly, "If you don't mind, I'll buy you nice things whenever I see them."

He rested his head on my shoulder. "Aren't you afraid I'll fall for you if you keep treating me this well?"

I chuckled. "You've probably had plenty of amazing women treat you well. If you didn't fall for them, why would you fall for me?"

Zane didn't respond.

A knock on the door interrupted us.

Reluctantly, he released me. "Come in," he called.

Eric entered with a professional demeanor. "Mr. Huxham, your meeting starts in three minutes."

Zane followed Eric to the door. Just as he stepped out, he turned back to look at me. "Wait for me." With that, he left the office.

...

In the conference room, tension filled the air as Zane walked in. Everyone avoided his gaze, bracing for the worse.

The previous quarter's targets had been far from met, and everyone had prepared themselves for Zane's notoriously harsh reprimands.

Still, a few brave souls couldn't help but notice the fountain pen clipped to his shirt pocket.

Zane caught their stares and, with surprising openness, took the pen out. "How'd you know this was a gift from my girlfriend?" he asked, a hint of pride in his usually cold voice.

Though his tone remained icy, there was an undeniable change in his demeanor. Everyone could sense his good mood, and a collective sigh of relief filled the room.

It seemed that love had softened the once-intimidating Mr. Huxham. The first presenter stepped forward to report, their nerves slightly less frayed as Zane listened with a neutral expression.