Chapter 125
The lawyer asked, โShould we sign the statement now? Have you decided which family to register with?โ He glanced at Henry, whose face was clouded with worry, then at Raymond, who was grinning broadly. He felt the contrast was striking.
Yvette looked at Zinnia longingly, her eyes shining brightly with an unspoken plea: โChoose the Jenkins family and sign the statement.โ
Maisie grabbed Zinniaโs hand and shook it energetically. She said, โZinnia, sweetie, pick the Jenkins family! Please!โ
Maisie bent over and nudged her head against Zinniaโs shoulder like an affectionate puppy. She said, โZinnia, I need you. You should join my family.โ
With Maisie clinging to her like this, Zinnia was so distracted that she couldnโt even feel awkward anymore.
Charlie gazed at Zinnia tenderly and said, โZinnia, no matter what you choose, weโll always be your brothers.โ
A crowd of people stood around, waiting for Zinniaโs answer. Feeling lost, Zinnia glanced helplessly at those nearby. When Zinnia was at a loss, she instinctively sought out the one she trusted most.
In the past, that person had always been her Master, but now, almost without realizing it, her gaze naturally drifted toward Yannis instead.
Meeting her lost, uncertain gaze, Yannis said, โJust follow your heart, Zinnia. No matter who you choose, we will always stand by your side.โ
Normally, Yannis seemed utterly unreliable, drawling out his words, eyes half-lidded with a lazy, careless smile, as if he could talk someone into complete confusion. But when he looked at anyone seriously, they couldnโt help but believe every word he said.
Sofia stroked Zinniaโs hair and said, โZinnia, donโt worry about hurting our feelings. No matter which family you choose, we will always be your grandparents. Our love for you wonโt change. Youโll have more people loving you.โ
In Sofiaโs heart, she knew that no matter who Zinnia chose, it would never change how much they cherished her. Sofia thought that it was Maelisโs loss that such a wonderful girl wasnโt hers.
Sofia no longer hoped Maelis would come to her senses; all she wanted now was for Zinnia never to be wronged again.
The crowd waited in hushed silence for Zinnia to make her choice. No matter which family Zinnia picked, they all wished her nothing but the best.
Their hearts united in this single hope. They thought that while the Shaw family had failed to cherish Zinnia, they would cherish her deeply.
Meeting Sofiaโs loving, understanding gaze, Zinnia lowered her lashes. She said, โSofia, I want to be with the Jenkins family.โ She just didnโt want to have anything to do with the Shaw family anymore.
Zinniaโs choice was both expected and, somehow, a little surprising for Sofia. But she just said gently, โOkay.โ
After the statement was signed, the Jenkins family became Zinniaโs guardians, and Zinnia was officially a member of the Jenkins family.
Maisie bent down and wrapped Zinnia in a warm hug. She said, โWelcome to our family, Zinnia!โ
Raymond laughed and said, โHenry, donโt worry. Our family will never let Zinnia suffer.โ
He then turned to Zinnia and said, โWelcome, Zinnia. From now on, you can call me Grandpa if you want. If youโre not comfortable with it, you can just call me by my name.โ
Hearing this, Zinnia readily called, โRaymond,โ
Raymond pulled out a box engraved with the Spence family crest from his jacket. He opened it to reveal a flawless pearl bracelet glowing inside. He said, โHereโs my welcome gift for you, Zinnia. This was left by my wife. Each of you three, Yvette, Maisie, and you, gets one as her legacy.โ
From that moment on, Zinnia found herself with a new home, severing all ties with the Shaw family once and for all.
Aaron accepted a share transfer agreement from his newly arrived assistant and handed it to Zinnia with a warm smile. He said, โZinnia, these company shares are for you. The same as Maisieโs.โ
Before coming, Yvette and Aaron had discussed what to give Zinnia as a welcome gift. They bought piles of presents, but nothing seemed substantial enough to show how much they cherished her.
After racking their brains, they decided that giving Zinnia the company shares was the best choice. They felt nothing was more meaningful than something real and tangible.
The 5% shares allocated to Zinnia matched Maisieโs portion, clearly demonstrating their full recognition and acceptance of Zinnia as an equal member of the family.
Maisie had no objections. She was overjoyed to have a family member like Zinnia. She couldnโt resist the urge to kiss Zinnia to express her affection.
Maisie cupped Zinniaโs face in both hands and was leaning in for a kiss when Yannis grabbed her by the back of her collar. Maisie turned to find Yannisโs icy stare fixed on her.
Yannis shot Maisie a cold look. He asked, โWho taught you to kiss people whenever you want?โ
Maisie pouted and said, โCome on, Yannis, Iโm just excited. Zinnia is my sister now. Whatโs wrong with kissing her?โ
โEven if youโre excited, itโs still not okay. Donโt you know how many germs are in your mouth?โ Yannis said sternly.
Yannis complained inside, โWhy do Yvette and Maisie always go around kissing Zinnia? Iโve already seen it happen at least three times. Who knows how many more when Iโm not around? This is a bad habit. It needs to stop.โ
โItโs not like I got any saliva on Zinnia,โ Maisie muttered.
โIf you did, thatโd be even worse,โ Yannis shot back.
Maisie was already used to Yannisโs unpredictable moods. She thought, โFine, no kisses then.โ Then she affectionately pinched Zinniaโs cheek instead.
Maybe it was the improved living conditions lately, and Maisie couldnโt help but notice that Zinniaโs cheeks had filled out a bit, soft and smooth to the touch.
โZinnia, I swear Iโll always protect you. No oneโs ever gonna hurt you,โ Maisie murmured, pressing her face against Zinniaโs.
The others couldnโt help but smile at Maisie and Zinniaโs heartwarming moment.
โZinnia, letโs go home,โ Yvette said warmly.
Maelisโs comments about the house Jackson had prepared for Zinnia left the Jenkins family feeling uneasy. The Jenkins were fiercely protective of their own. They thought, โItโs not that we couldnโt provide a house for Zinnia.โ
Before Zinnia could respond, Yannis interjected, โLet her stay at my place. My apartmentโs close to the school, and after everything tonight, itโs already late. She has class tomorrow. Plus, itโll be more convenient for my treatment sessions.โ
Yannis glanced at the weariness that had unknowingly crept onto Zinniaโs face.
He thought, it is already close to nine, and Zinnia still hasnโt eaten. If she had to go through all the hassle of returning to [unintelligible] and getting ready for bed, itโd be way too late!
Zinniaโs eyelids drooped with exhaustion as she stifled a yawn.
Yannis bent down and said, โYou can stay here with me, no rent. But in return, Zinnia, could you help treat my condition?โ
The moment Yannis made this proposal, Maisie and the others all turned to stare at him in shock.
Meeting their astonished gazes, Yannis nodded and said, โZinnia can treat my insomnia and help regulate my health. Rest assured, she wonโt be wronged while sheโs with me.โ
Yannisโs insomnia had always been a headache for everyone. As soon as he mentioned it, all eyes immediately turned to him.
The smile on Raymondโs face faded and was replaced by a look of grave concern. He stepped forward and said seriously, โYannis, let me check your pulse.โ
Yannis offered his wrist to Raymond.
After checking Yannisโs condition, Raymond turned to Zinnia. โZinnia, have you been helping Yannis with his health?โ he asked, a hint of surprise and approval in his voice.
The moment Raymond took Yannisโs pulse, he immediately noticed the subtle changes in Yannisโs condition. After all, no one knew Yannisโs health better than Raymond.
Raymond was at his witsโ end with Yannis. He prescribed medicine, but Yannis refused to take it. He told Yannis to go to bed early, yet Yannis never listened.
Raymond often worried that one day, Yannisโs body would reach a breaking point and heโd completely break down.
Raymond thought, โAlthough Yannisโs health hasnโt improved much yet, as long as his insomnia can gradually be brought under control, his physical depletion can be restored. Once this problem is solved, everything else will fall into place.
โThat incident left such deep scars on Yannis, even hypnosis couldnโt erase those memories.โ
Zinnia replied, โYes, his constitution is a bit weak, so I prepared some Soothing Soup for him.โ
โDid Yannis drink the soup?โ Raymond asked again, his voice trembling with barely contained excitement.
โYes, he did,โ Zinnia replied, genuinely puzzled by their surprised looks. She thought, โWhy is everyone so shocked? Isnโt that what patients are supposed to do?โ
If Zinnia knew how Yannis had resisted medicine, sheโd probably understand why everyone was so shocked.
Yannis had always been resistant to taking medicine since he was a child. No matter how others tried to force it down his throat, beat him, and scold him, even after breaking his ribs, he would just clench his jaw and refuse to take it.
Even when he was sick, heโd rather tough it out than take any pills.
Upon learning that Zinnia could cure Yannisโs insomnia and that Yannis was willing to take the medicine prescribed by Zinnia, Raymond was very pleased. He wished that Zinnia could live with Yannis forever.
He said, โHenry, let Zinnia stay here with Yannis. Yannis may seem a bit unreliable, but he is trustworthy. Just let Zinnia stay here. With Yannis around, the Shaw family wonโt dare come and trouble Zinnia again. Zinnia is in her senior year now, with a heavy academic workload. Constantly moving isnโt good for her. This place is close to school, so she can get a bit more sleep in the mornings.โ