The Reclaimed Rose (Annalise and Steven)

Unfortunately, I gave birth to a son. The hairstyling skills I had learned had no place to shine.

But now, I had a daughter. Every day, I could style her hair in all kinds of beautiful designs.

Today, I braided Willow's hair into a new style. She stood in front of the mirror with neatly woven braids.

Her round, adorable cheeks reflected in the glass as she blinked her eyes and exclaimed, "Who is this? She's way too cute!"

Her unabashed self-praise made me smile uncontrollably. Playing along, I said, "Maybe she's from the Huxham family?"

Willow turned to me, saying, "You're really lucky!"

I didn't know where she developed such an adult-like tone, but the childish innocence in her words made her all the more endearing.

I couldn't resist reaching out and pinching her little cheeks. "That's right. Everyone must be so envious of me for having such an amazing daughter."

Willow nodded and added, "And I bet all the other kids are jealous of me for having a mom as great as you. Mommy, I love you."

I scooped her into my arms. "I love you too."

Just then, Zane pushed open the bedroom door, catching us as we were about to head downstairs.

Seeing how well Willow and I got along brought a warm smile to his face. "Time to exercise!"

"Yay!" Willow said excitedly while pulling me down the stairs.

Ever since we started exercising together, her mood improved day by day, and she felt much better physically. Although it was tiring at times, Willow believed that as long as she kept going, it would bring positive changes. She was determined to continue because she never wanted to return to her previous quiet, withdrawn state.

Even as the intensity of her workouts increased, Willow pushed through with grit and perseverance.

Willow's stamina had indeed improved significantly. The increased intensity of yesterday's workout appeared to be no challenge for her today.

I followed behind her, already feeling a bit out of breath. However, she breezed through the run with ease.

I couldn't help but marvel at the energy of a child.

After completing the exercise,

Willow headed off to shower on her

own, not needing any assistance from an adult. When everything was done, she sat at the dining table just as the food was ready.

Willow held up her glass of milk with both hands, took a deep breath, and downed the whole glass in one go.

During the meal, though, she kept smiling to herself.

Curious, I couldn't resist asking, "Why are you smiling?"

at me, her eyes

She looked up at

sparkling. "They said drinking milk makes you really strong! Mommy, I'm going to drink milk every day from now on. That way, I'll become the strongest kid in class. Noone wift dare to bully me!"

She had her goal, and I, of course, would support her unconditionally. "You're the best!" I cheered.

....noveldrama

Meanwhile, Portia prepared Zachary's breakfast. There was milk, a fried egg, and bread.

Concerned that Zachary wasn't fond of vegetables, she had thoughtfully added two slices of lettuce and two slices of tomato inside the bread, along with the egg.

The bread had been toasted over low heat, turning golden and crispy with a delightful aroma.

Zachary sat at the dining table, his eyes lighting up as he stared at his breakfast. "Grandma, you're so good to me!"

Portia chuckled and said, "See if it tastes good."

"Of course!" Zachary then grabbed the sandwich and ate it in big, eager bites.

He thought the bread might be too dry, but to his surprise, the vegetables added the perfect balance. He finished every bite

before reaching for his glass of milk.

Zachary looked at Portia in appreciation.