Chapter 121
Yannis said, “Cutting ties with the Shaw family only means you’re done with them, not with me or Jackson. We care about you, and that has nothing to do with the Shaws. So don’t lump us in with them or blame us by association.”
Yannis took a deep breath. He genuinely admired Zinnia for cutting ties with the Shaw family so decisively. He thought, 'If the Shaw family were standing right in front of me, I wouldn't have the courage to cut them off.'
He was genuinely proud of Zinnia for cutting them out. But he didn’t want Zinnia to lump him and Jackson in with the Shaws just because of the Shaws‘ disgraceful acts. He thought, ‘The Shaws are scumbags. Jackson and I don’t want to be blamed by association. That would be completely unfair to us!’
Hearing Yannis’s words, the confusion in Zinnia’s eyes gradually faded. She didn’t regret leaving the Shaws behind, but when she thought of Jackson, she couldn’t help but feel a pang of regret.
Yannis’s words cut through her previous confusion.
Yannis crouched down in front of Zinnia, locking eyes with her. He said, “Zinnia, do you think that just because you’ve cut ties with the Shaw family, you have to cut me and Jackson out too?”
Sunlight piercing fog, bringing sudden clarity to her troubled heart.
Zinnia knew she was not the brightest. There were so many things she couldn’t figure out. Cutting ties with the Shaw family was something she had been preparing for a long time.
But she never expected Jackson to barge in so abruptly. She wasn’t prepared for him at all, so she was at a loss for a moment.
Yannis gave Zinnia’s cheeks an affectionate pinch. “You silly girl, are you trying to drive Jackson and me crazy?” he huffed.
Zinnia’s silence told Yannis everything: she was thinking that way. Yannis thought, ‘I have never met anyone so ridiculously naive. While others would kill to be associated with me and Jackson, she is planning to sever all ties with us.'
Zinnia blinked up at Yannis without resisting. With her cheeks still pinched, she mumbled, “I didn’t mean to make you mad.” Her words came out slurred, but she truly hadn’t meant to upset him.
Yannis said, “Zinnia, when you don’t know what to do, why don’t you call me? If you’re lost, don’t you think I’d notice?”
Yannis gave her cheeks another affectionate, exasperated squeeze before finally letting go, the soft, pillowy feel still lingering on his fingertips. He thought, ‘For such a tiny girl, she sure has the chubbiest cheeks.’
“I don’t want to bother you or be a burden,” Zinnia said softly. She was straightforward by nature. She never beat around the bush or bothered with polite formalities; those things were just too complicated for her.
Zinnia didn’t want to bother Yannis. She felt Yannis had helped her a lot with Anne’s accident.
She was not the type who liked to trouble others, especially after what Maelis said today, telling her to repay every cent the Shaw family had ever spent on her. That only made Zinnia even more determined not to bother Yannis anymore.
Zinnia thought, ‘It’s easy to return things, but debts of kindness are the hardest to repay. At least I owe the Shaws nothing. But when it comes to Jackson and the others, that’s a different story.'
She had no idea how to repay their kindness, so she tried to keep her debts to them as minimal as possible. Except for her Master, she found it hard to truly trust anyone else.
Yannis met her calm gaze and said earnestly, “Zinnia, you’re never a bother to me. Whatever you’re going through has never been a burden to me.”
Yannis had never considered Zinnia’s troubles a burden. He was more than happy for her to turn to him whenever she was in trouble, rather than being left all alone with no one to support her, which would leave her vulnerable to being bullied.
On his way back, Yannis had already requested the residential complex’s surveillance footage. When he saw Maelis trying to hit Zinnia yet again, his blood boiled with rage.
He thought, ‘Maelis is getting bolder, repeatedly trying to lay a hand on Zinnia. She doesn’t deserve to be called a mother!'
Yannis continued, “If you don’t want to go back to your department, then stay with me. I won’t let you leave until Jackson returns. If anything happened to you, I’d never be able to face him.”
Zinnia said, “I can stay at a hotel. I’ve grown up now, I can take care of myself. Now that you’ve seen me, you can let Jackson know I’m safe."
Zinnia thought Yannis only brought her back because of Jackson.
Yannis said firmly, “Zinnia, I didn’t come looking for you just because Jackson asked. Even if he hadn’t called, I’d still have come. I will never turn my back on you when you need help.”
Zinnia’s words made Yannis sigh. He seethed inwardly at the Shaw family, ‘Nothing but a bunch of troublemakers!'
Zinnia froze. She thought, "I don’t belong here. Once Master returns, I will leave. I didn’t expect anyone to care if I stayed or not.
‘But now, Jackson cares about me, and so does Yannis. Maybe I’m not as alone in this city as I always believed. Some people would worry if I left, people who truly care about me.‘
She couldn’t quite describe what she was feeling. No one had ever looked her in the eye and plainly said, “I care about you.”
As they were talking, the doorbell suddenly rang. Zinnia looked toward the door, thinking to herself, ‘That must be Sofia and the others.”
“Stay put, Zinnia. I’ll go check it out,” Yannis said as he got up and headed toward the door.
The door opened to reveal Sofia and the Lynn family, just as Zinnia had expected.
Sofia anxiously asked, “Yannis, where’s Zinnia? Where is she?”
The entire Lynn family had arrived, including Charlie. Charlie was on duty at the hospital. He dropped everything and rushed over the moment he received a call from Jackson, his anger barely contained.
“Yannis, where’s Zinnia? Is she alright?” Henry asked urgently, his voice tight with anger. He knew exactly what disgraceful things Maelis and the others had done, and it made his blood boil.
Yannis stepped aside, revealing Zinnia sitting in the living room. He said, “Sofia, Henry, Zinnia’s here at my place, safe and sound.”
Zinnia set down her cup and stepped out. Seeing the whole Lynn family outside, she was a little lost. She hadn’t meant to trouble them, she just hadn’t expected Jackson would tell them.
Sofia hurried into the room and pulled Zinnia into a tight embrace. She said, “Zinnia, my dear, I’m here now. I’m so sorry for not raising Maelis right. You shouldn’t have had to go through this because of her.”
Sofia never imagined Maelis and the others would stoop to such disgraceful acts.
Isaac looked at Zinnia, remorse in his eyes. He said, “I’m sorry, Zinnia. I should’ve walked you home after school, then Maelis and her family wouldn’t have bullied you.”