Chapter 137
Before she knew it, the weekend had arrived. When Zinnia woke up, to her surprise, Yannis was still at home, a rare occurrence. Still groggy, she blinked at him sleepily and called out, โYannis?โ
Standing by the window, Yannis was dressed head to toe in black. He wore a jet-black shirt and black casual pants. His expression was unreadable, his profile exuding a cold detachment. An aura of melancholy and gloom clung to him.
The early morning sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, yet even its golden light couldnโt chase away the loneliness that enveloped him.
A bouquet of white daisies sat on the living room table.
Yannis was on the phone in the living room. Hearing Zinniaโs voice, he hung up immediately and turned around. Seeing her drowsy state, the corners of his lips gradually curved upward, dispelling his usual aloofness as a glint of light appeared in his eyes.
Yannis said gently, โYouโre awake, Zinnia. What would you like to eat? Iโll have someone bring it to you.โ
โIโm not hungry yet, so I donโt want anything,โ Zinnia replied, still a bit groggy as she shook her head. She rarely had any appetite in the mornings and usually skipped breakfast when she didnโt have school.
Yannis said gently, โLetโs have some milk to tide you over. How about I cook you some spaghetti? Skipping breakfast isnโt good for your stomach.โ
Yannis walked over from the floor-to-ceiling window to the kitchen island. He poured a glass of milk and handed it to Zinnia.
Still a bit sleepy, Zinnia shuffled over to the kitchen island. She accepted the milk and said, โThank you, Yannis.โ
โYouโre welcome,โ Yannis said with a soft smile, gently stroking Zinniaโs head as he smoothed down the little tuft of hair sticking up. He added, โIโll go make you some spaghetti.โ With that, he turned and headed into the kitchen.
Zinnia sat at the kitchen island, slowly sipping her milk as she watched Yannis bustling about in the kitchen.
Zinnia blinked sleepily and asked, โYannis, arenโt you going to work today?โ
Yannis was always busy with work, and Zinnia had school, so their time together was mostly limited to the evenings. But after living together for some time now, the two had grown much closer.
Yannis said gently, โIโm taking the day off today for something, so Iโll have to leave soon. I might not be back in time to cook dinner, so Iโll have dinner delivered to you. If you need anything, just call me.โ
As he spoke, he set the spaghetti down in front of Zinnia and sat down across from her.
Zinnia twirled the spaghetti to let it cool before taking a bite. She nodded and said, โOkay. I need to go back to the Lynn residence this afternoon.โ
Sofรญa called the previous day. She asked Zinnia to visit the Lynn residence over the weekend. Sofia also mentioned that there was a package for Zinnia. It had arrived on Friday, but no one knew who had sent it.
โZinnia, itโs getting colder today. Remember to put on a jacket when you go out. And text me when you get back so I know youโre safe, okay?โ he reminded her gently. He didnโt restrict where Zinnia went.
October had arrived, and the autumn chill was setting in.
โOkay,โ Zinnia replied.
Since Yannis wouldnโt be back for a while, he wanted to wait until Zinnia woke up so he could say goodbye before heading out. He waited until Zinnia finished eating before leaving with the bouquet of white daisies.
After Yannis left, Zinnia gathered her things and then returned to the Lynn residence.
Sofia had been watching the courtyard, and the moment she spotted Zinnia, she came out beaming with joy to greet her. โZinnia, youโre back!โ Sofia called out, her face alight with happiness.
โSofia,โ Zinnia called out sweetly.
โQuick, dear! The pastry chef prepared all sorts of delicious treats just for you,โ Sofia said warmly, taking Zinnia by the hand and leading her into the living room.
โOkay,โ Zinnia replied.
Knowing Zinnia was coming back that day, Henry stayed home instead of going out to play chess with his old friends. He was in the study, reviewing the chess game heโd played with Raymond last time.
When Benedict informed him that Zinnia had arrived, Henry set down his chess pieces immediately and came out of the study to greet Zinnia.
Henry exclaimed warmly, โZinnia, youโre back! Quick, come here! My, how youโve grown! Youโre getting prettier every day!โ
โGrandpa,โ Zinnia called with a smile.
Sofia led Zinnia to sit on the living room sofa, carefully examining her for any signs of weight loss or distress. She said, โZinnia dear, how are things going with Yannis?
โIf itโs not working out, I can always arrange a new place for you, you know.โ
โNo need, Sofia. Yannis has been really good to me,โ Zinnia said with a gentle smile.
Seeing Zinniaโs radiant smile and her lively, sparkling eyes, Sofia knew she wasnโt lying. She thought, โZinnia seems more at ease with Yannis than with us.โ She gently smoothed Zinniaโs hair.
Sofia smiled and said gently, โIt looks like you and Yannis are getting along well, Zinnia. Donโt believe what people say about him. Yannis is truly a good person. Heโs had a hard life and is such a poor soul.โ
Zinnia couldnโt help but feel there was a deeper meaning behind Sofiaโs words.
After lunch, Sofia beckoned to Benedict, who came over holding a small package in his hand.
Sofia said, โZinnia, this package arrived at home yesterday. Since you werenโt here, I had someone sign for it.โ
โIs this for me?โ Zinnia asked, frowning in confusion as she took the box from Benedict. Since moving out of the Lynn family home, sheโd had Chandler handle her move and made sure all deliveries went to her new address.
She thought, โThere is no reason anything should still be sent here.โ
The package was surprisingly small, far too tiny to hold the medicinal herbs Zinnia had requested. Then, struck by a sudden realization, Zinnia clenched tightly around the package.
Noticing Zinniaโs unease, Sofia asked, โZinnia, whatโs wrong?โ
Zinnia couldnโt afford to stay at the Lynn residence any longer. Hastily pulling out the gifts sheโd prepared, she said, โDonโt worry, Sofia, I made plans with Maisie to hang out. Sheโs probably waiting outside. Iโll come visit again soon.
โSofia, these herbal pills are for you. The coffee beans are for Henry. He can brew some while fishing to help with his headaches. Hereโs a small first-aid kit for Jackson, Soothing Soup for Charlie, bruise ointment for Isaac, and this is for Benedict.โ
โTake care on your way, dear,โ Sofia called out, arms laden with gifts. She watched as Zinnia shouldered her backpack, picked up the box, and hurried out of the Lynn residence.
โTake it slow, Zinnia,โ Benedict called out as he hurried after Zinnia.
โGot it,โ Zinnia replied as she waved.
After leaving the Lynn residence, Zinnia walked some distance away before finding a place to sit down with the package in her hands. Staring at the unmarked package, she bit her lip nervously, then began carefully unwrapping it.
Inside were a wooden box and a glass jar of candy. Zinnia took out the box and opened it. Inside lay a set of keys.
Chapter 138