The Reclaimed Rose (Annalise and Steven)

The group chat fell silent. Then, someone finally said, "We thought you and Sasha had gotten back together."

Shane almost let out a bitter laugh as he typed his reply. "I've been broke. You all know she'd never take me back."

That was enough to shut everyone down.

"Well, okay then," someone texted back.

Shane opened the social platform and saw everyone going off about him and Sasha.

"Sasha's the other woman. She probably gets a kick out of stirring up trouble in other people's relationships.

"If she really cared about Shane, why didn't she say yes when he first told her how he felt? She only went after him once he was already taken."

"Shane's no saint either. The moment Sasha calls, he comes running like some lovesick puppy. He'll never find anyone half as good as Jenny!"

"Those two jerks are perfect for each other!"

"They might as well just stay together and save the rest of us the trouble!"

Shane scrolled past the insults. When he refreshed his feed, Sasha's reply showed up. Her post was short and straight to the point.

"Shane and I were never a thing. We co-founded a company and are only connected through business. There's nothing between us."

Just then, Shane shared the clip of Jenny ending things with him. Everyone watched Jenny acting overbearing in the video and was totally floored.

"Weren't they still together? Wasn't Sasha just the side chick? What's going on?"

"If they broke up forever ago, why is Jenny still messing with Shane?"

"She probably noticed he's doing well now and wants him back."

"Did she just admit in the video that the baby's not his?"

"So we've all been lied to?"

"Exactly! They were already done. So why's she tripping about him and Sasha?"

The crowd who had been bashing Shane and Sasha suddenly switched up, directing their hate at Jenny once they figured out she'd played them Jenny had been thoroughly enjoying watching everyone throw shade at Sasha. But when Sasha and Shane cleared the air, it hit her like a ton of bricks.

She couldn't stop replaying that video of herself. Every word she'd said that day glared back at her.

Jenny reached out to Shane immediately. "How do you even have that recorded?"noveldrama

"It's simple, he responded, as if

nothing had happened. "By then, Sasha and I were already done One of her friends saw me getting roasted and thought it was hilarious.

"So, she recorded it without me knowing and sent it to her. After that, the two of

them talked trash about me behind my back, calling me a loser."

Jenny hesitated for a long moment before finally muttering, "Well played!"

Shane remained cool, replying, "Look, I've got your number. I'd never take back

someone as ruthless as you. Don't even think about it."

"Why? Say what you want, but I truly care about you. Now that Sasha's out of the picture, you won't find anyone closer to her than me. Admit it."

Shane went quiet for a long moment, his gaze locked on his phone.

Jenny sensed the shift in his silence over the line. "Am I wrong?"

Shane spread his hands, his tone casual. "So, you already figured out that the only reason I ever liked you was because you reminded me of Sasha. But honestly, I don't even care about her now."

Jenny stared straight ahead, her voice thick with disbelief. "What?"

"After working with Sasha, I realized she and I are better off as friends," Shane said, his words deliberate and precise.