Chapter 187
Sasha grinned widely, showing off her perfect white teeth, and then went ahead and piled more food onto my plate.
Seeing that, Zane wasn’t about to back down, either.
Before long, there was more and more food being piled onto my plate. It soon looked like a small tower.
I could see they were still trying to outdo each other, so I couldn’t help but ask, “Do you two really have to play Jenga with food on my plate?”
That made Zane pause, but Sasha still wasn’t satisfied and dropped two more pieces of meat onto my plate.
I laughed helplessly. “Do you think I can eat all of this?”
Sasha smiled encouragingly. “I believe in you. You can do it!”
I crushed her enthusiasm with a smile. “You can believe in me all you want, but I’m not turning into a bottomless pit!”
Zane calmly said, “You can ignore the food she gave you, but you’d better finish what I gave you.”
I didn’t expect Zane-the grown man-to show such a childish side. “That’s impossible.”
After I made my frustration clear, they both reluctantly retrieved some of the food from my plate.
As Sasha ate, it was clear she still felt dissatisfied and hadn’t given up. However, I shot her a look that made her think twice.
Ever the tactful one, Zane noticed Sasha had backed down and quietly returned to his meal.
…
Steven spun slowly in his office chair, a thoughtful frown crossing his face. With Jessica gone, he finally had the space to think-really think-about his feelings for both Annalise and Jessica.
His friends all said he hated Annalise, but was it really true?
Living with Annalise had always felt so… grounded. He never felt uneasy around her. In fact, he didn’t mind any of the intimate moments they shared. Nothing about it bothered him, not even sharing a bed at night. Whether his eyes were open or closed, Annalise’s face was always there, and he didn’t mind it one bit.
As for his feelings for Jessica…
Just as Steven was about to take a moment to reflect-really think about whether, as his friends suggested, he truly loved Jessica-his phone rang.
It was Jessica.
He answered the call absentmindedly, and her cries of grievance came through.
Steven knew his thoughts were interrupted, but he knew he had to be patient. “What’s wrong?”
Jessica pitifully said, “I’m alone at home, and I’m scared.”
Steven’s mind flickered back to Annalise, a sudden pang hitting him.
When Annalise was pregnant with Zachary, he was so caught up in work. He left early in the morning and didn’t get home until nearly midnight. He remembered that Annalise had always seemed so stable and composed then, like she never let anything rattle her. In his mind, that had made her strong and independent. And that was why he often neglected her.
Steven felt a deep, indescribable frustration.
Jessica cautiously asked, “Can I visit you at the office?”
“Yeah,” Steven replied. But as soon as the words left his mouth, he realized how distant his tone sounded. He quickly added, “I’m free anyway.”
Jessica sighed in relief and smiled. “You’re the best.”
After hanging up, Steven leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling. Ever since Jessica returned, it felt like he had been swept up in the attraction. He found time to see her every chance he got. From then on, there was no turning back.
An hour later, Jessica arrived at his office. She stood before him, eyes reddened from crying. “Since yesterday, I just… I feel so insecure.”
Jessica was heavily pregnant, and Steven was worried she might be overexerting herself. He thoughtfully grabbed a nearby chair and pulled it over for her to sit in.
Jessica settled into the chair, and Steven suddenly froze.
When Annalise was pregnant with Zachary, Steven didn’t recall ever being concerned about whether she was suffering.
Jessica didn’t notice Steven’s shift in emotions and quietly said, “I even can’t help but wonder… Do you still want me and the baby?”
Search the AllMACWARE.com website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.