The Unveiled Rose
Chapter 165

Steven couldn't stop thinking.

If he and Annalise hadn't gotten divorced and if he had given this ring to Annalise, she would surely have been thrilled. But sadly, it was too late now. There was no going back. He lowered his gaze, feeling more lost by the second.

Wasn't he supposed to like Jessica? Then, why had he been thinking about Annalise so often lately?

It was time for lunch.

The elevator reserved for the CEO just so happened to be broken, so Zane and I had to take the public elevator. Unfortunately, it was exactly rush hour.

As the elevator descended, the number of people inside increased.

I stood in the corner, but due to the crowd, I kept getting bumped into from time to time.

Zane was concerned that I might feel uncomfortable, so he moved closer to me. He then placed his arm in front of me, creating a safe space.

I no longer had to worry about being accidentally hit by someone's flailing arms. I finally sighed in relief. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

...

Zane practically shielded Annalise with his body. He even felt lucky that there were so many people today, allowing him to make closer contact with her.

More people continued to board the elevator, and the space between him and Annalise was reduced to almost nothing.

Zane also caught a whiff of Annalise's fragrance. He lowered his head, watching as she tried to distance herself from him but ultimately failed.

Her cheeks, whether from the thin air or from anger, were slightly flushed.

Zane seemed to understand why so many people wanted to get married, walking into the halls of marriage with the person they loved. It gave them a legitimate reason to be intimately close forever. It was truly something to yearn for.

...

Zane's mood unconsciously became more pleasant. He lowered his voice and called out, "Anna?"

I looked up at him. "Hm?"

Zane asked with a teasing tone, "Are you upset?"

"No. Not really," I answered honestly. "If I got angry every time I took the public elevator, what about them? They're crammed in here every day. Wouldn't they be angry all the time?" Zane just smiled. "True."

The elevator reached the second floor, and everyone else exited, leaving only Zane and me.

Zane, aware of the situation, kept his distance from me.

I finally relaxed a bit.

This time, Zane didn't take me directly to the restaurant. Instead, we walked around the area first. He talked to me about the general types of food served at each restaurant and what they tasted like. I looked at him in surprise. "Have you tried food from all the restaurants?"

Zane answered with a smirk, "Mm."

I was impressed. "That's amazing!"

Zane looked at me. "From now on, we'll try new places together."

"No problem!"

...

Steven bought the gift and immediately called Jessica. He wanted her to come to the company because he had a surprise prepared for her.

As soon as the call ended, Jessica eagerly asked Harry to take her to Steven's office. It had been half an hour by the time she arrived.

Fearing that Steven might dislike her again, Jessica kept her distance from him. "What did you get me?"

Steven handed the gift box to Jessica.

She opened the box, and when she saw the gemstone inside, she was utterly stunned. She had been studying jewelry over the past few days. So, she knew just how expensive Steven's gift was. "This..."

"Do you like it?" Steven leaned back, smiling as he watched Jessica.

Jessica nodded vigorously. "I really like it."

At that moment, she even felt that Steven's previous rejection and resistance were just an act.

How could he bear to spend so much money on her if he didn't like her?