The Reclaimed Rose (Annalise and Steven)

Gary said wistfully, "I guess that's what happens when you get too wrapped up in it. Anyway, let's get to work on this!"

I gave a soft hum in reply. After all, Jessica was about to have her baby. Even if Gary and Julia decided to do nothing, I had my own plans ready to ensure Jessica and Steven would deal with the consequences of their actions.

I drummed my fingers on the table as Gary and Julia walked away.

Sherry found her job fulfilling, but the company's strict no-overtime rule always got under her skin.

Each day, she clocked out right on time, and the hours that followed seemed to stretch endlessly. Without the heavy workload to keep her mind occupied, her thoughts inevitably wandered to Gavin.

Regret hit her over and over, and she often fought the urge to reach out, apologize, and beg for another chance. But every time, she stopped herself.

Sherry took a deep breath, forcing herself to focus on her work again. She decided she would ask for more assignments at the office, something to keep her occupied even after she left for the day.

Just then, her phone rang. She picked it up without hesitation. "Hello?"

"It's Yvette. We need to meet and talk."

Sherry's dislike for Yvette had turned almost visceral. The mere mention of her name made Sherry's stomach twist.

Her face hardened, her voice turning frosty. "I don't see what we have to talk about."

"If we don't sit down and talk this through, neither you nor Gavin will ever really get past this, will you? Or did you not mean it when you said you wanted to break up? Are you still holding onto Gavin?" Yvette asked.

Sherry paused for a moment before asking, "Where do you want to meet?"

"How about near Gavin's office?" Yvette suggested.

In the past, Sherry would've agreed right away. No matter how inconvenient, she'd have been the one to make it work, calling a cab and rushing over. But now, she wasn't about to make things easy for anyone.

"I've got a lot on my plate right now, so I don't have much time. Why don't you come to my office

instead? That way, once we're done,

I can get straight back to work," she said.

Yvette frowned. "Why should I?"

"Because you're the one who wants to meet, not me," Sherry responded flatly.

Yvette fell silent.

"If you don't feel like coming, that's fine. It's not like I'm exactly dying to see you, either," Sherry said. Yvette sighed deeply. "Fine, I'll come to you."

Lately, the comics and plush toys I'd been producing had been flying off the shelves. After taxes, the money I'd earned had piled up to several hundred million.

As I stared at my bank balance, I realized it was time to increase the monthly allowance I'd been sending Mom for her retirement.

As for the rest of the earnings, Inoveldrama

couldn't decide whether to invest in building an amusement park or focus on creating an animated series to grow an audience. I was still weighing my options when Eric walked in, pushing the door open.

As Eric was giving Zane his work update, I turned my attention to him. The moment he finished and saw me watching, he made his way over.

"What's up? Need something?" he asked.

Not wanting to distract Zane from his work, I got up and said, "Zane's got a lot going on. Let's step outside and talk."