The Unveiled Rose
Chapter 209

The restaurant for lunch was Sasha's pick. It was a trendy spot heavily advertised on a popular social media platform.

Before we ate, Sasha confidently assured us that all her friends had tried it and raved about how good the food was. When the dishes arrived, the presentation and aroma were impeccable-vibrant colors and tantalizing smells. After the meal, we walked out of the restaurant in silence.

Zane, expressionless, finally broke it, saying, "I'll choose the place next time."

Sasha had to admit that while Zane might often come across as an aloof iceberg, his restaurant choices were always solid.

Her picks, however... not so much.

Reluctantly, Sasha surrendered. "Fine."

Back at the office, Sasha waved us goodbye.

As I watched her bounce away, my spirits were lifted as well.

Zane walked beside me, matching my pace.

When I saw a man standing at the office door, my steps faltered.

Steven looked up. Noticing me, he took the initiative to approach. "We need to talk."

"I don't have anything to discuss with you," I replied firmly.

His eyes landed on the roses I was holding. His expression grew noticeably tense. "I just have a few questions."

After a moment's thought, I handed the roses to Zane. "Can you put these on my desk?"

"Sure."

I sat across from Steven at a café. He had ordered coffee, while I opted for watermelon juice.

Steven didn't rush to speak, and I had no intention of urging him. I sipped my drink slowly. The juice was excellent-not overly sweet, yet incredibly refreshing.

I made a mental note to bring Willow here on Saturday to try this watermelon juice. She'd probably love it.

Finally, Steven broke the silence. "What do you think of how I treated you?"

"Not great," I replied without hesitation. "Before Jessica came back, you were indifferent. After she returned, your treatment of me could only be described as awful." I said it all calmly, without a trace of anger.

Steven continued asking, "Do you think I loved you?" He was feeling completely lost and desperately wanted a satisfying answer from me.

I thought for a while before answering, "At first, I thought you must have loved me. Otherwise, why would you stay with me for six years?" Steven's mood instantly lifted the moment he got the answer he was looking for.

"But then," I continued, "when Jessica came back and I saw how many times you made me suffer for her sake, I realized something. "From the moment we got married until the day we divorced, you never loved me. You never did for the entire six years." Steven lowered his head. "Really?"

He couldn't quite understand the reason, but hearing what I said, he felt an overwhelming sense of pressure in his chest.

Steven almost urgently asked, "So, what do you think is the true way to show love for someone?"

The question caught me off guard.

I'd assumed someone as infatuated with Jessica as he was would understand this better than anyone. So, I turned it back on him. "Don't you know?" Steven didn't answer right away. After a long pause, he finally muttered, "No."

I leaned back in my chair. "For me, love is simple. It's about truly wanting to make someone happy while hating to see them upset.

"When you replace something amazing, you'll want to get it for them if you think it'll bring them joy. You'd do anything to make them feel better."

Steven kept his head down. "Since I don't love you, why do I feel so upset every time I think about you?"