The Reclaimed Rose (Annalise and Steven) novel Chapter 158

When Zane felt the urge to speak, all I needed to do was listen and guide him to continue.

However, my head was spinning.

I propped my head up with my hand. I'd never drunk alcohol before, so I couldn't believe that my tolerance was so low.

Zane looked at me. "Since I made it to this position, I've had to put all my focus on work every day. The future planning and development of the company, how to handle crises, and such. Other companies are watching closely, waiting for mine to collapse so they can take over."

On top of that, there was the situation with Willow.

He had a lot to think about every day. Only after he asked me to come home and take care of Willow did he feel a bit more relaxed.

I tilted my head and looked at him. "That's definitely a lot of pressure."

Zane smiled and then poured me another glass of wine.

I waved my hand. "I can't drink anymore."

Zane sighed. "Alright, then. Even though I can only truly let my guard down and have a calm conversation when I'm with you…"

He had said all that, and it seemed inappropriate for me not to drink. So, I took a deep breath and downed my drink in one go.

My throat felt like it was on fire. Everything around me felt like it was spinning.

I leaned on the chair, slowly sat down, and closed my eyes. Only then did I feel a little more at ease.

While I still had some clarity left, I said, "I'm drunk. You should go rest first. I need to wait until I'm a little better before heading back."

"Okay."

…

Zane pulled the chair closer to Annalise's side. Seeing her expression, he felt a bit guilty.

If he had known that she would feel so unwell after drinking, he would have found another way to confirm his feelings.