The Reclaimed Rose (Annalise and Steven)

Sherry suddenly realized that both Eric and Sasha might have never been in serious relationships. She explained, "It wasn't as simple as that. At the time, I thought he was pretty decent, so as a way to show my appreciation, I took him out to eat.

"He was just getting his business off the ground back then, and I helped out here and there, thinking we'd be even once I'd repaid him. Honestly, I wasn't really looking for anything romantic at the time."

Eric and Sasha shared a glance. The more they listened, the more confused they became.

Who could be that rational when it came to matters of the heart? If Sherry had been so level-headed, how would she have found herself in such a mess later on?

Neither of them could make sense of it.

Noticing their confusion, Sherry gave a faint smile and continued, "Later, he invited me to dinner. As we started running into each other more at social gatherings, my friends couldn't stop raving about how great Gavin was.

"I figured they had a point, so I decided to pay closer attention to him. The more time we spent together, the more I realized what a true gentleman he was. He always knew how to carry himself when to take charge and when to step back.noveldrama

"He was always treating everyone around him with kindness, too. And before long, I found myself falling for him."

Sherry shook her head. "Back then, I thought he was perfect in every way. Even when my family didn't approve, I stood my ground. I was determined to be with Gavin.

"Eventually, my family got so frustrated that they stopped trying to change my mind. And I ended up with him. To be honest, after we got together, he treated me pretty well."

Sherry cradled her glass with both hands, adding offhandedly, "If it hadn't been for Yvette, we might've stayed together for good. I honestly thought we were a great match, personality-wise."

Sasha couldn't stand Gavin at all. "So, you're telling me you put up with everything just because he treated you well?"

"Yeah," Sherry replied. "Even though there were plenty of times when something just felt off and when le regretted my decision and thought about walking away. I always found myself wondering what would have happened if life without him had turned out worse than life with him.

"What if I ended up regretting leaving? What if he was already with someone else

by the time I was ready to give it another chance?"

Sherry felt a sense of relief wash

over her as she finally put her

thoughts into words. "It was that kind of thinking that kept me holding on, convincing myself that all needed was to hang in there a little longer.

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"Maybe if I waited, Gavin would realize just how badly he'd messed up. Maybe if I waited, he'd settle down and start building a real life with me. Of course, that's what I believed at first."

She looked down, the bitterness in her chest growing sharper. "Later, even after it started to hurt, I kept telling myself to stick it out. I

thought that maybe if I keptnet

I'd eventually stop feeling anything for him.

"Then I'd be able to walk away without a second thought. But what I never saw coming was that, in the end, he'd be the one to walk away for Yvette's sake."

As she got to this part of the story, her voice lightened with relief. "To be honest, the moment he said he wanted to break up, I felt a rush of relief. It was like a weight had been lifted off me."

Sasha listened closely, completely empathizing with Sherry's feelings. "Honestly, Gavin doesn't deserve you!"

Eric nodded, backing her up. "Exactly. I couldn't agree more!"