The Reclaimed Rose (Annalise and Steven) novel Chapter 807

Then suddenly, Casper's parents discovered he had been working on the side.

They suddenly contacted him, claiming the family was facing a cash flow problem and needed him to cover some expenses. Without hesitation, Casper transferred all his savings to them.

When he returned to Jessica, he felt like he had nothing left to offer her. So, he turned her down.

The look in Jessica's eyes at that moment was heartbreaking. She asked him if he didn't like her, and if that was the case, she'd keep her distance from then on.

The truth was, Casper did like her. He just didn't know how to explain his situation. After a long silence, he finally nodded and said, "Yes."

Jessica was devastated. Tears streamed down her face as she told him she wouldn't bother him anymore.

Casper told himself that making money through projects was easy. Once he saved up enough, he'd explain everything to her.

However, without Jessica's connections, the projects dried up. By the time he finally met the standard he'd set in his mind to approach her again, a year and a half had passed.

Casper waited outside Jessica's dorm, only to find out she had a new love interest—Steven.

Steven didn't have much money, but he treated Jessica well, and she seemed happy with him. Casper hid in the shadows, watching them talk until Steven reluctantly left. Only then did Casper step forward to confront Jessica.

The scene from that day was still etched vividly in his mind. He remembered every word of their conversation.

"Do you understand how long that is? It's 365 days. At first, I kept second-guessing myself, wondering if I had misinterpreted your words. I waited over a month for you to explain, overthinking every interaction, but you never came," Jessica said calmly.

Guilt washed over Casper as he remembered how fixated he'd been on making money, neglecting everything else.

Jessica continued, "I thought if you wouldn't come to me, I could go to you. Whenever I texted you or went to your dorm to find you, you always brushed me off and acted like you wanted to keep your distance from me.

"Everyone kept telling me that your behavior showed you didn't love me and that I should stay away from you in the future. I started to think they had a point. So, I began to withdraw myself from you.

"Now that I've moved on and built a new life for myself, you're telling me that the truth wasn't what I thought?"