Zachary stated in disbelief at Jessica. He had been surviving on takeout and cold egg sandwiches, yet she still claimed he was difficult to handle Steven glanced at Zachary before softly comforting Jessica, "What's wrong?"

"isn't Zachary supposed to have a sensitive stomach? Jessica leaned her head against Steven's shoulder, worried about being exposed.

"I woke up early to make him chicken noodle soup, but he refused to eat it."

Zachary was so furious he almost burst into tears. "You're lying!"

She hadn't made him anything. In the morning, she ordered him takeout.

Steven pushed Jessica aside. He walked over to the couch, signaling for Zachary to come over.

"Come here, tell Daddy what you had for breakfast"

Zachary felt even more wronged when he saw Steven. He couldn't hold it in any longer and recounted everything that had happened

the tears from falling- that morning By the end, he couldn't

"She went out without me, and when she came back, she hit me.'

Steven didn't respond immediately. Instead, he turned to Jessica. "Do you have anything to explain?

Jessica bit her lip. "Don't you trust me, Steven? If I didn't care about him, why would I go through the trouble of becoming his mother? I could've just chosen not to marry you."

Seeing Steven's doubtful expression, Jessica tugged him toward the kitchen.

"According to Zachary, I didn't make him any soup. So what's this in the pot?"

Steven saw the pot of soup, which was still steaming. His suspicious gaze shifted toward Zachary. Jessica smirked at Zachary. Did he really think he could outsmart her? What a ridiculous thought! She added, "Didn't he say he ordered takeout? Shouldn't there be takeout can in the house has any takeout boxes."

1900

It was only now that Zachary understood why Jessica had been so eager to clean up his leftovers and even had Cody throw them away. She had been setting him up all along Steven stepped forward and took Zachary's hand, leading him aside.

"Zachary, I know that Jessica might have neglected you a bit in the past, but she has changed. Look, she even got up early today to. make you soup. You should be grateful, right?"

Seeing how Steven was defending Jessica, Zachary was so upset he was on the verge of tears. "Daddy, that's not what happened...". Steven grew stem as Zachary wouldn't listen to him. "Are you still lying?" Zachary explained, "I didn't...".

Zachary's protests made Steven take a deep breath. "Go to your room and reflect. You can come out and apologize to Mommy Jessica when you realize your mistake."Belongs to (N)ôvel/Drama.Org.

"No way!" Zachary glared at Steven in fury.

Jessica was bullying him, and now even Steven was taking her side and didn't believe him at all. He would never love them again!

Zachary furiously pushed Steven away, storming into his room and slamming the door behind him. After Zachary left, Jessica shed a few tears.

"Steven, it seems Zachary still doesn't like me. Maybe I should just take Cody and leave... I can't stand seeing you and Zachary fight because of me."

Seeing her cry, Steven comforted her tenderly, "He is just being difficult. I'll make sure he listens to you from now on."

"Thank you, Steven." Jessica's mood improved significantly now that her plan had succeeded. She sat beside Steven, his arm casually draped over her shoulder.

Feeling nonchalance, Jessica asked, "Have you heard anything about Annalise since the divorce?"

"Annalise?" Steven replied with disdain. "No, why?"

When we divorced, Steven offered me a job. But when I declined, he hasn't bothered to follow up on anything related to me since. It surprised him that Jessica would even bring me up now.