The Unveiled Rose
Chapter 301

Perhaps it was Zachary's cold sarcasm that struck a nerve, because Steven's face darkened immediately. "How old are you now? How mature can you possibly be?" Zachary responded, "I know most of the things I need to know."

"You're still young, and you can't make money on your own!" Steven pressed as he tried to further reason with him. "In the end, all of your expenses will still have to be covered by adults."

He was trying to make Zachary realize that he was still just a child.

To his surprise, Zachary calmly asked, "Are you saying you don't want to support me anymore?"

Steven didn't deny it. "If you have Mr. Thompson send you back, I'll take full responsibility for your living expenses. But if you keep disobeying me, I won't care for you anymore. I won't give you a single penny from what I earn." "Alright then," Zachary replied nonchalantly. "Save it. Spend it however you like."

With that, he ended the call.

Steven stared at his phone in stunned silence.

After putting away his phone, Zachary walked over to his wardrobe and opened a hidden compartment. Inside were several bankbooks and a few bars of gold.

He opened one of the bankbooks, which held the money Annalise had saved for his kindergarten tuition. Over the years, it was Steven who had been paying for it, and the money in this account had never been touched.

He opened the other bankbooks. Each one contained funds Annalise had saved to cover his tuition through college.

In the villa where Steven lived, Zachary had a desk. Inside it were deeds for commercial properties and additional savings Annalise had prepared for him.

She had chosen prime locations for these properties, and the annual rental income was more than enough to support both him and the people who cared for him.

Annalise truly had his best interests at heart.

She feared he might one day be without money and left to endure hardships. Over the years, she had quietly built a financial safety net for him.

Zachary carefully restored the wardrobe to its original state, then lay back on his bed. Silent tears streamed down his face.

Tomorrow, he would take Harry and Hannah with him to Steven's place. He intended to retrieve everything he had left behind.

...

Willow had an amazing time outside. By the time she got home, she was completely out of breath.

The moment she stepped into the living room, she rushed over and hugged me tightly. Her soft, sweet voice was full of emotion. "Mommy, I think this is the longest we've been apart, except when I'm at school." She then rested her little face against my stomach, rubbing back and forth like a kitten. "I missed you so much, Mommy!"

I wrapped my arms around her small frame and gently stroked her back. She felt so tiny and fragile in my embrace. Seeing her act so endearingly filled me with warmth.

Only then did I truly realize how much happiness being loved could bring.

My voice softened as I whispered, "I missed you too, my dear Willow."

Willow giggled in my arms, her laughter bright and contagious. She tilted her little head up, her eyes sparkling as she looked at me.

"Mommy, I heard that women get really moody when they are on their period. If I stick around and keep talking to you, will you get annoyed?" Willow asked.

I pinched her soft, chubby cheeks. "Everyone's different, but how could I ever get annoyed with you? My dear Willow is so sweet and well-behaved. I love you too much to ever feel that way."

Her face lit up with relief when she heard my response, and she nodded eagerly. "Good! I want you to love me forever, Mommy. You can't dislike me for even a single second!"

I chuckled softly. "Don't worry, I'll love you for a lifetime."

Willow tightened her hug. "Okay!"

Fatigue weighed on me more than usual during my period, and I could barely keep my eyes open when I sat in the living room for a short while. I slowly got up and headed to my room to rest.