The Reclaimed Rose (Annalise and Steven)

Sherry didn't argue. "Sasha, Eric, maybe it's because I've said a few negative things about Gavin that you've ended up with such a bad impression of him. Honestly, if it wasn't for Yvette getting caught up in everything, he's not as bad as he might seem."

Sasha pressed her lips together. "I've got a friend who knows him, too. Ever heard of Annalise Jamison?"

Sherry nodded. "That name's come up before. Why do you ask?"

"She's Steven's ex-wife. Gavin must've mentioned her to you more than once, right?" Sasha asked.

"He has, but it's always been in a bad light. He said she was just after Steven's money and never really cared about him."

Sasha's face twisted in disgust. "I knew Gavin would say something like that. The truth is, during the six years Annalise was with Steven, he barely spent 100 thousand dollars on her."

Eric raised an eyebrow, looking doubtful. "Less than 100 thousand, and she's called a gold digger?"

Sasha curled her lips in disgust. "What did you expect from Steven? Annalise handled everything at home and kept everything running smoothly, but he never gave her the credit she deserved. He even let his friends talk badly about her."

Eric turned to Sherry. "You've met Annalise at the office. You must have some idea of what she's really like."

Sherry hesitated for a moment before replying, "Honestly, when Gavin first told me all of this, I didn't believe it either. I mean, he's friends with Steven, so of course, he'd back him up. But I've heard the stories about what Steven did.

"No matter how much Gavin and the others try to paint a different picture, the truth is that Steven's first love returned to town, he had an affair, and in the end, he ended up with her."

Sasha was caught off guard by Sherry's calm reasoning. "I'm sure Gavin and the others tried to spin it to make Steven's cheating seem more understandable, didn't they?"

"They claimed that when Annalise first got involved with Steven, he wasn't really interested," Sherry said. "He turned her down several times, but she didn't take no for an answer. Being the kind of guy who can't stand seeing a woman upset, Steven eventually gave in and agreed to be with her." noveldrama

Eric and Sasha both made the same sound of disgust.

Sherry chuckled. "I always thought there was something off about Gavin's story. If Steven had truly been committed to staying single for Jessica, Annalise wouldn't have had a shot with him.

"The fact that she could get close to him at all says a lot, doesn't it? He must've given her the impression that he was single and looking for someone."

Eric looked skeptical. "You figured all that out on your own without anyone pointing it out?"

Sherry asked without hesitation, "Why would I need someone to spell it out for me? Relationships are always a two-way street. If Annalise was able to pursue Steven, imeans he had feelings for her as well.

"And when they got married, he must've been on board. I know that when a man's

not interested, he won't even give you the time of day."

Sasha gave Sherry a thumbs up. "Actually, it was Steven who made the first move with Annalise. She et even asked him outright if he had a girlfriend, if there was someone else he was interested in, and whether he had feelings for her."