The Unveiled Rose
Chapter 330

Chloe grew angrier at Zachary's resistance and raised her hand, ready to hit him. "Why are you so ungrateful? Everything I'm doing is for you!" Seeing what was happening, Hannah rushed over and scooped Zachary into her arms. "Why are you hitting a child?"

Zachary, perched on his teacher Hannah's shoulder for safety, glared back at Chloe. "Stop using me as an excuse! You're only doing this for yourself!"

Chloe, still fuming, tried to follow, but Hannah rushed Zachary into the kindergarten and quickly shut the gate behind them.

"Thank you, Ms. Ludwig." Zachary said with a grateful look. "If you hadn't come in time, who knows what would've happened." Hannah smiled gently. "You're my student. It's only right that I protect you."

...

When we arrived at the kindergarten gate, Willow leaned toward Zane and whispered, "Daddy, you've got to work harder, okay?" Zane nodded eagerly. "Don't worry, I will."

Satisfied, Willow hopped out of the car. Zane and I followed her into the kindergarten, where he took my hand naturally.

I glanced at him in surprise but decided not to pull away, remembering what we had told Willow earlier.

As we walked, Willow suddenly turned around and stopped in front of us., her face serious.

"Daddy, mommy, maybe you should tone it down in front of me."

I couldn't help but laugh. "Didn't you say earlier that you wanted to see us being lovey-dovey?"

Willow's expression was somber. "I can't explain it, but when I see you holding hands, it feels like mommy isn't just mine anymore." Her words struck a chord with me. Always mindful of her feelings, I immediately let go of Zane's hand. "Okay, I'll listen to Willow." Zane looked reluctant but nodded, respecting Willow's wishes.

Seeing this, Willow broke into a smile and threw herself into my arms. "Mommy's the best."

Zane raised an eyebrow. "What about daddy?"

Willow, used to Zane's playful jealousy, replied with a casual, "I love daddy too."

She let go of me, waved goodbye, and skipped into the kindergarten.

"Willow!" Penelope's voice rang out from behind us, catching Willow's attention.

She turned around quickly, just as Penelope rushed over to her.

Willow grabbed Penelope's small hand excitedly. "I was just about to wait for you inside the kindergarten."

Penelope smiled confidently. "Now we can head to the classroom together."

We watched their little figures disappear into the kindergarten, hand in hand.

I turned and got into the car.

...

Steven woke up with a pounding headache, his vision blurry from the previous night's drinking.

In his half-conscious state, he thought he heard Annalise's voice scolding him softly.

"Drinking so much is bad for your health.

"Even if you're upset, you need to show some restraint.

"Look at you, drinking yourself sick. Isn't it awful?"

Her tone was filled with genuine concern.

But when Steven opened his eyes, the room was empty.

He realized it had been nothing more than a hallucination, and the bitterness of it all made him laugh.

Before the divorce, he hadn't thought much of Annalise. He believed their relationship was one of convenience, not love.

Yet now, having lost her, he found himself yearning for her with an intensity that was almost unbearable.

Steven wondered how it was possible to fall so deeply in love with someone only after losing them.

He couldn't tell if it was the aftermath of his drinking or something else, but all he knew was that he desperately wanted to see Annalise.