Jessica wanted a front-row seat to the drama.

...

Steven showed up outside Huxham Corporation right around lunchtime. Zane and I were about to head out and grab something to eat when we ran into Steven, who was standing right in front of the entrance. Zane leaned in and whispered, "He's probably here because of his mom."noveldrama

"I figured," I replied, slowing my pace.

The second Steven spotted me, he marched over, his voice tight with anger. "Annalise, what the hell are you doing?"

"Me?" I was amused. "I'm not doing anything, Steven. I have no clue what you're talking about."

Steven pulled out his phone, brought up the news about Chloe, and looked like he was about to shove it in my face. It was a very disrespectful move.

I stayed calm, ready to stop him if I had to, but Zane beat me to it. He grabbed Steven by the arm and said coldly, "If you've got something to say, just say it. No need to get physical with her."

Steven was fuming. He stared at me without blinking. "I know you've got a problem with me..."

He emphasized each word as he continued, "But if you've got an issue, take it up with me. Bringing my mom into this is pretty disrespectful, don't you think?"

"Disrespectful?" I let out a sarcastic laugh. "Hearing you say that is pretty funny."

Steven kept his eyes locked on me.

I shrugged. "Your whole family never exactly respects me, huh? And it's not like I brought your mom into this. I just saw people ripping into her online and decided to ride the wave." Steven looked at me like I was a complete stranger. "If not you, then who?"

"Could it have been my mom?" Zane asked, dragging out the words as he looked at Steven.

Steven was confused. "Why would she do that?"

"If you watch the whole video, you'll get it," Zane said, taking his time.

Steven ended up watching the video all the way through again, reading all the text, and finally figuring out what was really happening.

It turned out Chloe had tried to turn Rowena against Annalise. But Rowena wasn't buying it and, pissed off by Chloe's stunt, set a trap for her. Steven fixed his gaze on me. "Even so, you still shouldn't-"

"There's nothing I shouldn't do," I said, staying calm. "Steven, your family can't keep hurting me without facing the consequences.

"What's happening now actually works out in my favor. She came at me with bad intentions. I'm just turning it into something profitable."

Steven shook his head. "You've changed. Annalise, you used to not care about money at all. Now it's like you're obsessed with it."

I scoffed. "Because I didn't care about material stuff, I walked away from the marriage with nothing. That lets you, a cheating jerk, keep all the money so you and your mistress can live it up.

"Then, when I looked back, I realized how dumb I was. I should've at least taken my share. Maybe then I

wouldn't have been so tight on

elast

money after the divorce."

I went straight to Zane's place after we split up. The life he gave me was way better than anything I had with Steven.

Zane was the one who gave me a job so I could make my own money and helped me see just how important it really was.

"Steven," I said. "Money solves most

of the problems in my life. If some new scandal pops up and gives me a chance to make a profit, why wouldn't I take it?"

Steven dragged out each word. "She's my mom."