The Reclaimed Rose (Annalise and Steven)

Jessica felt irritable, though she couldn't pin down why. She had long stopped taking Casper seriously. To her, he was just someone to keep around and entertain when convenient. She knew he still harbored feelings for her and was willing to do anything for her. However, Casper rejected her today, which bothered her more than she expected. After some time, Jessica finally managed to calm herself down. She had no intention of reaching out to Casper again or wasting any more of her energy on him. Instead, she texted Zane. "Why are you so head over heels for Annalise?"

Even though Casper had given up on Jessica, he couldn't shake the lingering feelings for her. The difference in how she treated him versus Zane struck him sharply, and it hurt.

His fingers hovered over the keys for what felt like ages, typing and deleting messages without sending any.

With no reply coming through, Jessica sent another message. "You two haven't known each other for long, right?"

Casper wondered how Zane would react to that. After considering it for a moment, he responded from his own point of view. "Does it really matter? Does loving someone need a reason?" en

"Of course it does," Jessica replied almost immediately.

"But I don't see it that way." Casper typed carefully. "As long as we're right for each other, that's all that matters."

Jessica's irritation only deepened as she stared at his response. Why were all these successful, attractive, wealthy men so obsessed withnoveldrama

Annatise? Was she really that enchanting?

Not daring to ask directly, she tried-a different approach. "But you've never been with anyone else, right? How can you be so sure Annalise is the one?"

AUMS

Casper's eyes stayed locked on the screen. So, this was Jessica when she actually liked a guy-no sense of boundaries or decency.