Liam eventually couldn't hold out any longer and left in defeat.

Zane sat down next to me. "He'll definitely keep bothering you."

Suzy silently tended to Penelope, not responding to Zane.

Zane continued, "After all, you send them a decent amount of money every month. Without that income, their lives would be in trouble."

Suzy finally spoke, "I know..."

Zane offered a suggestion, "The security in your neighborhood is excellent, so you don't need to worry about that. The company's also strict, and you can feel safe coming and going from work." Suzy paused and looked up at Zane.

Zane added, "Be cautious when you go out. They might find something to trouble you over."

Suzy nodded thoughtfully. "I'll be careful."

Zane then asked, "Would you like the company to hire a bodyguard for you?"

Suzy looked at him in disbelief. "Is that possible?"

"Of course," Zane replied calmly. "You've brought the company a lot of profits. It's only right that the company invests a little in you."

Suzy was deeply grateful. "Thank you so much."

"You're a great boss. I'll work at your company for the rest of my life!" she joked.

Not far away, Zachary sat in the car, watching Penelope quietly lean into Suzy's arms. A wave of envy washed over him.

He bitterly thought about how different things might have been if Annalise had taken him when she had divorced Steven.

His gaze darkened as memories of the past flooded his mind. He now realized how foolish he had been to choose Jessica over Annalise. Even if Annalise had fought for custody, he likely would have rejected her.

...

Willow climbed into the car and asked in confusion, "How could there be such men?"

She was still young, and in her mind, a child's biological parents should always treat them kindly. But Liam had shown her otherwise.

Her fear grew. "I don't want to get married! What if I end up with a husband like that? I'd be miserable."

Her thoughts were simple-like all children's.

I didn't argue, instead giving her a gentle smile. "If you understand the consequences of not marrying and you're okay with that, I'll support you. The same goes for marriage."

Willow curled into my arms. "Okay."

At home, the three of us happily followed Howard on a jog. Afterward, Howard said it was just a warm-up and began practicing the basics.

...

As Zachary watched the family through the car window, he silently decided to start exercising, too. After all, he would do whatever Annalise had Willow do. That way, he could pretend Annalise was still by his side. Zachary could no longer see Annalise through the thick walls once they entered, so he reluctantly turned his gaze away and resumed studying phonics with Hannah.

Hannah patiently taught him, and Zachary listened intently. Even though Annalise had pushed him away, he still wanted to become a child she could be proud of. Once the lesson was over, Zachary got out of the car. He turned to Harry and said, "Mr. Thompson, you can take Ms. Ludwig home now. I'll just jog for a bit." Harry was concerned about Zachary, thinking it wasn't safe for a child to be out alone.

Hannah shared the same worry. "You don't need to. We'll stay with you."

Zachary understood their concern and felt touched by their care for his well-being. He nodded earnestly. "Alright."

He began to jog, with Hannah and Harry following behind him.Belongs to (N)ôvel/Drama.Org.