Chapter 151
After they got home, Zinnia was so tired from everything that had happened that afternoon that she didnโt even want to move. Yannis made her comfortable on the sofa and made her hot chocolate to help her feel better.
โZinnia, wait here for me. Iโll make us some dinner,โ Yannis said softly. He realized that after everything theyโd been through, his plan to make her gain weight hadnโt worked out.
โI want meat!โ Zinnia hugged a plush toy tight, feeling sad as she remembered what she had vaguely heard earlier. โHow can you take that away from me?โ
โDonโt worry, thereโs meat,โ Yannis said with a laugh. Feeling better, Zinnia relaxed back on the sofa with a sigh, while Yannis went into the kitchen.
Zinnia took out her phone to check the group chat, where others were talking about plans. In three days, there would be an event, and they wanted to go together. Zinnia quickly sent a hand-raising emoji. She definitely wanted to join the fun.
Maisie: [Zinnia! We asked you to play games this afternoon but got no reply. Did something happen?]
Maisie wanted Zinnia to join her for games that afternoon but couldnโt reach her for hours. Worried, she messaged Yannis, who told her Zinnia was safe with him, which made her feel better.
Zinnia: [Just got too sleepy this afternoon and fell asleep.]
Then, a private message from Lydia popped up: [Did something happen this afternoon?] Her worry was clear in her words. Lydia saw that Zinnia hadnโt replied for hours that afternoon, so she checked and saw Zinnia was at Perkins Group.
Their security was very tight. She couldnโt get in quickly. Not wanting to waste time, she went straight to Maisie, who told her Zinnia was with Yannis.
Lydia finally relaxed, knowing Zinnia was safe. To make sure she wouldnโt miss anything, she set up an automatic alert to notify her instantly whenever Zinnia sent a message.
Zinnia: [Just felt a little sick this afternoon and took a nap, so I missed your messages. Are you done with work now?]
Zinnia casually explained, not going into details about what had happened that afternoon. She remembered Lydia mentioning she had a part-time job.
Lydia: [Almost done. What do you want to eat tomorrow? Iโll make it for you.] Touched by Zinniaโs care, she smiled and sent a bunny petting sticker.
Zinnia: [I want a chocolate cupcake!] Zinnia was already used to being spoiled with treats. Lydia brought her something tasty to school every day.
Lydia: [Iโll bring it tomorrow. How about adding some strawberries?] Lydia loved how Zinnia always told her exactly what Zinnia wanted.
Zinnia: [Okay.]
After chatting with Lydia for a bit, Zinnia sent a few messages to others in the group chat. Then Yannis called from the kitchen, โZinnia, dinnerโs ready!โ
Yannis brought out the dishes and was just taking off his apron when Zinnia put down her phone and walked over. But when she saw the food, her face dropped. It was full of greens she really hated.
โYannis, are we running out of money?โ Zinnia asked seriously. Just two days ago, he said he might go broke, and then he was serving her vegetarian food.
โOf course not,โ Yannis said gently. โBut Roderick said you need a balanced diet. So from now on, just one meat dish per meal.โ
Yannis wouldnโt be poor in this life. But the clear dislike in Zinniaโs eyes was obvious. He put down the plate and gently guided her to sit.
It was not that Yannis didnโt want Zinnia to eat meat. Her health just couldnโt handle it. Roderick explained that it wasnโt easy for Zinnia to reach her current healthy state, and upsetting that balance could seriously hurt her.
Zinnia used to binge eat without problems, mainly because she had spent two months eating poorly. Her body was so deprived of fats and nutrients.
But her diet had been balanced for a while, and she needed to watch what she ate. No more overeating, and sweets should be limited too.
Yannis added softly, โRoderick also said you canโt have too many sweets, and snacks will be limited too. From now on, Zinnia, youโll need to ask me if you want any snacks.โ
Yannis really didnโt want to risk her health.
Yannis became more curious about Zinniaโs past. He wondered, โWho could have saved a baby nearly dying and helped her get healthy with rare herbs?โ A quiet thankfulness grew in him.
โYannis, youโre a monster,โ Zinnia pouted, her eyes losing their sparkle at his words.
Yannis said softly, โZinnia, I talked to Roderick. Once you turn eighteen, your body will be stable, and we can loosen some of these rules. It will be a tough year, but hang in there, okay?โ
Yannis never liked to refuse Zinnia anything. Seeing her unhappy hurt him too.
Zinnia said, โYannis, Iโm totally fine. Iโm a doctor, you know? Even if there were problems, I could fix them myself. Seriously, you donโt have to cut out my meat, snacks, or sweets!โ
She grabbed Yannisโs sleeve, her bright eyes looking up at him. โI only love a few things. Why are they all off-limits? That doctor is just mean!โ she thought.
Yannis said, โZinnia, Iโll make some low-calorie sweets for you. For snacks, Iโll get a factory to make natural ones. But when it comes to meat, I just canโt agree to let you have more.โ
That was the first time Yannis saw her acting cute, and his heart skipped a beat. Her big eyes looked at him begging, her face still a little pale. Seeing her like that, he felt his heart melt.
Yannis, who usually gave her anything she wanted, felt like he couldnโt take it anymore. He wanted to agree, but he forced himself to hold back.
He could say yes to everything else. Sugar-free sweets, special snacks, even the moon and stars if she asked. But not anything that could hurt her health.
โYannis, youโre so mean!โ Zinnia glared at him as she pulled her hand away, showing her unhappiness.
Yannis said, โZinnia, once you heal completely, Iโll prepare a big feast for you. Whatever you want. The vegetarian dishes are tasty too. Give them a try. Theyโre just as good as meat. Donโt you trust my cooking?โ
Zinnia pouted sadly. Yannis sighed, gently rubbing her head. โYannis, I donโt think weโll be together much longer,โ Zinnia said.
Yannis felt a sharp pain in his chest at her words. He hated this sudden ache. She was right there, but he couldnโt shake a feeling of insecurity. โWhy?โ Yannis asked.
Zinnia pouted, โI will leave you.โ