The Reclaimed Rose (Annalise and Steven) novel Chapter 177

Steven asked himself whether he was really that unqualified as a husband, feeling an intense ache in his heart at the realization. He felt as if he was suffocating.

He didn't understand. Didn't he hold no love for Annalise? If so, then why was he suffering so much?

"Steven?"

Gavin had rushed over as soon as he received Steven's message. He sat down opposite him and asked in concern when he saw Steven's lowered head, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," replied Steven, wrestling his emotions back under control before raising his head. "I have a very important question to ask you."

Gavin said casually, "Go on."

Steven then asked a question that had been troubling him.

"You all say that I like Jessica, but why is it that I can only treat her as a friend? The moment I try to take things further and attempt physical contact, I feel terrible."

"That's because…" Gavin trailed off.

Naturally, he knew that Steven didn't love Jessica. However, now that Annalise had a new life of her own, it was impossible for her to get back together with him. If he let Steven know that the person he actually liked was Annalise, he would definitely suffer a lot from the knowledge.

Therefore, in order to let Steven live with peace of mind, Gavin had to lie.

"You think that Jessica is someone unattainable," he bluffed.

Steven gazed intently at him.

Gavin continued expressionlessly, "You can't bear to monopolize her and sully her, so you've always rejected intimate contact with her."

"Is that so?" asked Steven.

Gavin was firm in his stance. "That's right."

In response, Steven simply turned to look elsewhere.

…

After lunch, I returned to my cubicle and started coloring in the comic, fully focused.