The Reclaimed Rose (Annalise and Steven)

Suddenly, Shane noticed Sasha had unconsciously clasped her hands together. She seemed even more nervous than he was.

Shane sneered, realizing that all of Sasha's confident talk had been a bluff. Amidst the murmurs, I stood up to answer the question.

With admiration, Sasha gazed at Annalise, who spoke gently yet firmly. Unlike the other people, she pointed out the core issue.

The man was still reluctant to acknowledge Annalise's capabilities even after hearing her answer. He said, "How would I know if you memorized the answer beforehand?"

Zane said calmly, "If there's anything you don't understand, feel free to ask her. You'll see if she can answer you."

The man asked a question that would challenge even seasoned business owners. I calmly answered, and his expression changed when he heard my answer.

In the end, the man said, "I admit, you're pretty good."

But while everyone respected Zane, they didn't believe in my capabilities. They assumed I had prepared my answers in advance with Zane's help. To test me, they asked complex, unanswerable questions that Zane couldn't possibly have prepared me for.

I answered all the questions with ease.

When Zane saw that everyone had been silenced, he said, "I hope that my girlfriend can help you realize that you should always approach the core of a problem and begin to resolve it from there. Don't be distracted by what you see on the surface. Now, that marks the end of the event."

Then, Zane put the microphone down and approached me.

Chatter filled the once quiet hall.noveldrama

Zane came next to me and said, "There are a few projects that caught my attention. I plan to their contact details. Wait here for

get

me, okay?"

I nodded and said, "Okay."

But on second thought, Zane said, "Wait. It'll take a while, and you might get bored. Why don't you head home first?"

I replied, "It's okay. Go on, don't worry about me. I can wait here for you.'

Zane gazed at me longingly and caressed my cheek. After a quick glance to see if

anyone was watching, he gave me a peck on the lips.

He said longingly, "I'll be quick."

"Okay," I said, smiling as I watched Zane walk away.

After he was gone, I sat quietly, watching the crowd around me.

Everyone was busy. Even Sasha, who used to only think about love and entertainment, found a direction in starting her own business. At that very moment, she was busy talking to people and trying to get their contact details.

Meanwhile, remained in a relatively secure job under Zane's protection. If I didn't make a change, would my friends eventually leave me behind?