The Reclaimed Rose (Annalise and Steven) novel Chapter 6

Zachary's naive yet blunt words pierced my heart like a needle.

In his moment of illness and vulnerability, he was still thinking of the woman who had caused him to become sick.

I looked down at him.

He was clearly exhausted after his stomachache, as he had fallen asleep again after saying that.

Steven must have heard Zachary's words, too. He took my hand. "Honey."

I felt no inclination to respond. I instinctively wanted to pull away.

However, Steven tightened his grip, not allowing me to withdraw. "Today was just an accident. Mom acted without consulting us, and Zachary was sick. He didn't mean what he said."

"I can understand him," I replied, holding Zachary as I started to walk toward the exit. "He likes Jessica now. Of course, he's going to think she's wonderful."

After a pause, I continued, "Since I banned him from contacting her, his resistance will be strong at first. But Zachary isn't a bad kid. I'll guide him back to understanding who truly cares for him.

"But I hope you can keep your word. I can overlook today's incident as a mistake, but I don't want there to be a next time."

As I spoke, I stopped.

Fearing I would tire myself, Steven took Zachary from my arms. "I promise that I'll do better, honey."

I looked at the sleeping child in Steven's arms and fell silent.

…

Steven parked the car when we arrived home. Seeing Zachary peacefully asleep, I didn't want to wake him up.

Just as I was about to carry him inside, Steven was already standing by the passenger door. His voice was soft as he said, "I'll do it."

Then, he effortlessly lifted Zachary with one hand while extending the other toward me.

Taken aback, I looked up.

The streetlight illuminated him, casting a warm glow over his tall frame and handsome features, making him seem almost like a celestial being.

"Let's go home, Mrs. Pelham," he said gently.

I sighed inwardly before taking his hand and stepping out of the car. "Let's go."

Inside, Steven gently placed Zachary in his bed.

At the same time, I took a small basin of warm water to his room. Steven helped by removing Zachary's clothes and wringing out a washcloth to bathe him.

Zachary slept soundly. He didn't wake up even as I finished drying him off and dressed him in his pajamas. He would grunt occasionally, expressing his discomfort, but it didn't disturb his slumber.

Upon seeing that, Steven simply smiled indulgently. He tossed the towel into the basin and left the room with the basin in hand.

Meanwhile, I remained seated at the edge of the bed, watching Zachary.

His attitude toward me had worsened recently. Whenever we spoke, he grew impatient and lashed out before I could even respond calmly. The only times we seemed to coexist peacefully were when he was asleep.

"Honey." Steven approached and bent down to scoop me into his arms.

I instinctively wrapped my arms around his neck and stared at his profile with curiosity. "Yeah?"

He turned off the light with his elbow and closed Zachary's bedroom door. "Do you remember what we said before heading to the hospital?" he asked.

I had forgotten about what happened before going to the hospital. But I remembered everything once we were there.

The moment I held Zachary, I seriously considered whether I should divorce Steven. But then, I thought about how Jessica was already causing trouble for Zachary even before Steven and I had divorced.

What would happen after the divorce? Would Zachary still have a good life?

I realized I couldn't let our family fall apart for Zachary's sake.