The Reclaimed Rose (Annalise and Steven)

The more I listened to her, the more bizarre Chloe sounded.

I said, "I don't get it."

"If you don't get it, I will explain it to you in detail!" Chloe snarled.

She continued, "First of all, you have poor tolerance for a woman! Back in my day, no wife would divorce a cheating husband. Wives would carry on with their lives, remaining faithful as they waited for their husbands to turn over a new leaf! Nobody would carelessly choose divorce like you did!"

Surprised by how brazen Chloe was, I chuckled and said, "Back in your day, nobody divorced because of the cultural restrictions of that time.

"Even when people were hurt by their marriages, nobody dared to divorce. It was because they feared being mocked and gossiped about. Most importantly, they didn't have income, and they may not have survived after getting a divorce. "But now, that era has become history."

Tired from drawing over the past few hours, I got up and sat on the bed. Relaxedly, I said, "Everyone has their own jobs and independent incomes. They are not financially dependent on anyone, which naturally makes them independent as individuals. That is the same for me."

I leaned back and continued, "I don't care how people may view me or what they say about me. Even after leaving Steven, I'm still living a good life."

There had been countless moments when I felt relieved that I had divorced Steven. Otherwise, I might have never known how a normal couple should be interacting with each other.

"That is why there is no reason for me to stay with Steven and endure his mistreatment," I said.

Upon hearing my words, Chloe got even angrier. She spat, "Do you mean you won't care about him anymore? Annalise, he became like this because of you!"

I could tell from Chloe's words that Steven was in a bad state. Thus, she was trying to guilt-trip me.

I responded, "But he chose all of this

himself. He

me into a corner when I had been

uncondite to cheat and force

compromising.

Since he chose this path himself, he should be responsible for the consequences of his choices."

That was just how Steven used to be.

As if I was narrating something

irrelevant to me, I said calmly. "Ofet I will be responsible et

course for my

own choices, too. Chloe, I willnever regret it."

When Chloe saw how she failed to convince me, she got even angrier. She refused to accept reality!

Steven had a successful career.

After his divorce, he should've lived a

better life, but he was miserable. Chloe believed that I, a woman abandoned by her husband, should be living in misery instead! Yet, I met a man who was even more outstanding than Steven

It was a difficult pill for Chloe to swallow.

Chloe took a deep breath and said, "We have a saying that says that a man is the center of a woman's life..."

Before Chloe could continue, I interrupted and said, "In my world, I am the center of my life."noveldrama

Chloe was speechless.

I continued, "I'm not going to listen to you, and I won't believe in what you say. If this is what you want to tell me, then you may end the call now."