The Reclaimed Rose (Annalise and Steven) novel Chapter 459

Steven had initially felt confident, believing that Jessica was the love of his life and that being with his long-time crush would be a dream come true.

But reality turned out to be completely different from his fantasies.

Steven let out a wry smile. It seemed he could only maintain a distance from Jessica; any closer, it became uncomfortable. By the time he realized this, it was already too late to regret it.

No…

Steven closed his eyes. He still had a chance. The investigation results weren't the whole story—did Zane also have a past lover? If she reappeared in front of him, he would ditch Annalise.

When that happened, Steven would show up and steal Annalise's heart. So what he needed to do now was to make occasional appearances in front of Annalise so that she remembered his existence.

Although Steven had thought of this scenario multiple times, he never found it bothersome. He knew very well that without this thought to motivate him, he likely wouldn't have the strength to keep going.

Steven took a deep breath. The problem was that Annalise really disliked him. How could he interact with her without causing any trouble?

Just then, an idea struck him. He pulled out his phone and dialed Jessica's number. It was actually quite simple.

Hadn't Steven already signed the rights to Jessica's comic? What he needed to do next was promote her work.

Steven figured he could take some time each day to visit Huxham Corporation and give Annalise updates on Jessica's projects. This way, not only would Annalise notice him, but she would also see how well he was supporting Jessica.

When the time came, Annalise would compare how Zane treated her with how Steven treated Jessica. She would surely regret leaving Steven for Zane.

Steven's frustration eased slightly at the thought.

Jessica answered the phone, sounding a bit puzzled. "It's late. What's the matter?"

Steven got straight to the point. "How much do you need for the promotion expenses? Is ten million dollars enough?"

Although the amount was quite significant for marketing costs, it was worthwhile if it could make Annalise jealous of Jessica.

Steven didn't mind spending a little extra. After all, money was insignificant; he could always earn it back.

Jessica quickly calculated in her mind. During her time at her previous comic company, the company would send her the marketing cost breakdown. Even during their biggest investment, it only amounted to a few hundred thousand dollars at most—nowhere near the figure Steven was suggesting.

Thus, Jessica was surprised that Steven was willing to spend so much money. She bit her lip, feeling torn inside.

On the one hand, she thought that if Steven casually mentioned such a high figure, then with a little persuasion, he would likely be willing to offer even more. But on the other hand, she worried that if she pushed too hard, he might not even be willing to give her ten million dollars.

After thinking it over, Jessica decided to take the plunge and go for it. However, she didn't want to ask directly.

Instead, she hinted, "Have I mentioned that I'm not planning to buy any jewelry or accessories lately?"