Chapter 146
Zinnia grabbed her fully charged phone and texted Jackson. She briefed him on what she had seen, sent over the photos sheโd taken, and provided details of where and when sheโd seen it.
Zinnia was confident that with Jacksonโs skills, heโd be able to track that woman down. The woman she saw yesterday bore a striking resemblance to the figure sheโd spotted at the hotel before.
Jackson still hadnโt replied. He was probably busy. Just as Zinnia was about to step out, someone knocked on the door. Zinnia opened the door to find Yannis standing outside, holding a cup of hot chocolate.
Yannis smiled gently and said, โZinnia, have some hot chocolate to warm you up first. The gnocchi soup will be ready soon.โ He gave her the drink, his deep eyes looking worriedly at her slightly pale lips.
Zinnia was surprised heโd know. The hot chocolate took away the cold from her hands, and her cheeks started to flush. She took a sip, and her lips showed a rosy color.
Yannisโs gaze lingered on her lips for a moment before he quickly looked away. โIโll go check if the gnocchi soup is ready.โ
Yannis left again. Just then, the phone on her desk rang. โThat must be Jackson,โ Zinnia thought. She walked over, unlocked her phone, and sure enough, it was a message from Jackson.
He said heโd immediately investigate. Zinnia finally felt a weight lift off her shoulders. She thought, โJackson will handle all this.โ
Zinnia felt absolutely no affection for Donald. Every time he looked at her, his expression made her feel like she was nothing but dirt. It stung every time. She still remembered the first time she was brought back to the Shaw family.
Donald had muttered under his breath, โBastard.โ That word left Zinnia deeply disturbed. From the moment she saw Donald, she took an instant dislike to him and felt not an ounce of filial love.
โZinnia, the gnocchi soup is ready! Come out and have some,โ Yannis called from the living room.
โOkay.โ Zinnia downed the cup of hot chocolate in one gulp, set her phone down, and stepped out of the room.
Yannis had already set the gnocchi soup on the table. As he sat down beside her, Zinnia noticed there was only one serving. She turned to him and asked, โArenโt you eating, Yannis?โ
The gnocchi soup was cooked in rich chicken broth, with a thin layer of clear, golden chicken fat on top. It wasnโt greasy at all, and the smell was really tempting.
Yannisโs eyes crinkled. โIโve already eaten, Zinnia. This is all for you,โ he said softly.
That morning, after seeing Jackson off to work, Yannis ordered breakfast for Zinnia. Remembering she said she wanted gnocchi soup a few days ago, he even got some fresh ingredients so he could make them himself.
The chicken broth was made for lunch, but it turned out to be perfect for cooking the gnocchi soup. Zinnia blew on it to cool it and took a bite. It was soft and springy, full of flavor. Zinniaโs eyes lit up. It was tasty.
Yannis watched her eyes light up with happiness, a gentle smile on his face as he asked, โIs it good?โ
Zinnia said, โYummy! With skills like this, if you ever became a chef, Iโd be your biggest fan.โ
Zinnia popped another bite into her mouth. โSo good! If he ever opened a restaurant, Iโd be there every day,โ she thought.
Yannis grinned, โIf I ever get into trouble, Iโd just open a restaurant and wait for you to visit every day. That way, I definitely wonโt go broke.โ
Zinnia chuckled, โYour place would be packed. Iโd probably have to make a reservation.โ
Yannis thought for a second and said seriously, โThen Iโll just cook for you. No restaurant, no waiting lines.โ
โWhat about your future wife?โ Zinnia asked softly. She kept eating, and her cheeks puffed out cutely. She blinked at him.
She remembered Yannis saying he learned to cook just to win over his future wife. She felt she was getting the benefits meant for his wife.
Yannis chuckled softly. โI wonโt marry. Iโll just cook for you. If I end up alone, just come visit me often, okay?โ
Yannis reached out and gently tucked her loose hair behind her ear. His deep, soft voice, full of tenderness, was really charming. His eyes sparkled with quiet amusement.
Zinnia couldnโt shake the feeling that something about Yannis had changed since she woke up, but she couldnโt quite say what it was.
Zinnia lowered her head and said with a playful smile, โDonโt worry. If you really canโt find a wife, Iโll take care of you for the rest of your life.โ
Zinnia thought for a moment. If she took care of Yannis when he got old, heโd cook delicious meals for her every day. Not a bad deal. Taking care of him would mean a lifetime of good food.
Yannis grinned and teased, โSo, you want to keep me?โ
โAre you expensive to keep?โ Zinnia asked casually.
Zinnia thought, โYannis cooks so well. If he ever gets into trouble, Iโd happily support him, as long as he keeps cooking for me. But if heโs too high-maintenance, I might not be able to afford him.โ
โKeeping me wonโt be cheap,โ Yannis said, playfully serious.
โHow much would it cost to keep you?โ Zinnia asked, totally serious.
Zinnia thought, โDo I have enough saved to keep him? If not, I can sell more medicine or do some medical jobs to make extra money. Still, I donโt know how much I need.โ
โIโll give you a special dealโa hundred,โ Yannis joked. He didnโt want to scare her off. After all, she just said she wanted to take care of him.
Zinnia looked surprised. โA hundred?โ That was super cheap.
โToo expensive? Then how about ten dollars? I need some bread. Otherwise, how could I cook for you if I go hungry?โ Yannisโs lips curled into a gentle, amused smile, his eyes shining with warmth.
Zinnia teased, โWow, youโre that cheap?โ
โToo expensive isnโt good, but too cheap isnโt right either. Heโs even cheaper than what I spend on a steak. Ten dollars a day is enough to feed him. With millions in the bank, I could support him forever,โ Zinnia mused.
Yannis looked at her, a teasing smile on his face. โSo, how much money do you have, Zinnia? You really sound like a rich girlโgot a big stash saved up, huh?โ
โOver five million,โ Zinnia said, trusting him completely and not hiding anything. She recently got back over three million from the Shaw family. Yannis thought, โWow, this little girl has over five million saved? My price was practically giving it away.
โI thought the Shaw family treated her so badly she probably didnโt have much money. Jackson said she barely used her allowance from the Lynn family, so I thought she was short on cash. I really underestimated her.โ
Five million might be less than what his cufflinks cost, but it was a big amount for most people. Yannis mused, โZinniaโs background must be more complicated than just being adopted from a small town.โ