Chapter 155
โAnd then?โ Ethan asked eagerly.
Brian replied, โTwenty years ago, the Moore family moved abroad. Three years later, their house was bombed in a terrorist attack, and three family members died in the fire.โ
The others knew little about the Moore family, but Brian, who worked in intelligence, knew more. Hearing this, everyone sighed deeply, saddened by the story.
โWhy did the Moore family move abroad anyway?โ Maisie wondered aloud. โIf theyโd stayed here, none of this would have happened.โ
โNo one really knows why the Moore family moved abroad,โ Brian said. โBut rumor has it Mrs. Moore had health problems, so they went overseas for better treatment.โ
โWho wouldโve thought that once they moved, theyโd never return?โ Ethan said.
โBut isnโt Richard a good doctor?โ Maisie asked. โSo why would they need to move abroad?โ
โAre you saying even the head of the Moore family couldnโt cure it?โ
Zinnia said, โEven Richard canโt cure every illness.โ
โHow old was Nathan when the tragedy happened?โ Zinnia asked, looking directly at Brian.
Brian said, โThe Moore family moved abroad twenty years ago. Nathan was just seven then. Three years later, when the tragedy struck, he was ten.โ
โTen,โ Zinnia whispered. Seventeen years had passed. If he were alive, heโd be twenty-seven, her masterโs age.
Zinnia wondered, โMaster, are you from the Moore family? If so, how did you survive seventeen years ago?โ The coincidences were too numerous to ignore.
After a long day of classes, Maisie drove Zinnia home. Yannis wasnโt there. Zinnia surveyed the living room. Her stomach growled. โI want snacks, not vegetarian dinner,โ she thought.
Zinnia put her backpack in her room and went to the living room, only to find her snacks almost gone. A few packs of cookies and some chocolate remained.
The cookies and chocolate lacked any harmful additives, so Yannis hadnโt removed them. With no other option, Zinnia angrily grabbed a pack of cookies and took a large bite. โI shouldnโt have moved here,โ she thought sadly.
Zinnia sat on the sofa, nibbling a cookie when her phone buzzed on the coffee table. It was a message from an unknown number:
[Miss M, Mr. M has prepared the medicine for us. He said itโs with you. When can we pick it up?]
Zinnia thought, โThose are the titles Master and I use publicly. I never understood their meaning before. Now I do, Master, what is your connection to the Moore family?โ
Three Moores had died in the fire. The thought caused a sharp pain in her chest. She hoped her master was only a distant relative, not who she suspected.
โIf thatโs true, Master has had a hard life,โ she thought, a bitter feeling rising in her throat. She ate a piece of candy, hoping the sweetness would soothe her.
Holding back her thoughts, Zinnia arranged to meet them over the weekend. โI have exams these two days,โ she thought.
Chapter 155
After days of waiting, they finally contacted her about the medicine.
Zinnia thought, โMaster contacted them. I trust him; he wouldnโt hurt me. Besides, if they found Master, he must be special.โ
The other party readily agreed to the time.
Just as Zinnia put down her phone, the front door opened. Yannis entered, carrying two shopping bags. She watched, but didnโt offer to help.
Yannis had taken all her snacks, and Zinnia felt upset. Perhaps her closeness to him was making her spoiled.
โZinnia, did you eat the soup I made?โ Yannis asked, not expecting her help.
He saw her upset. Her pouty face betrayed her. She barely looked at him, hugging her stuffed toy and absentmindedly tugging its ear.
After changing his shoes, Yannis went inside. That morning, before work, heโd set a timer for the soup. Knowing Zinniaโs school schedule, he texted her after classes ended.
โNo,โ Zinnia mumbled, avoiding the kitchen. Sheโd seen Yannisโs message but ignored it. She wasnโt in the mood for soup, though the faint smell of broth lingered.
โStill upset, Zinnia? I sensed your grumpy mood the moment I walked in,โ Yannis teased, smiling playfully.
Carrying the bags, he approached her. Her shoulders slumped, her face partly hidden in her white hoodie. Her bright eyes looked down, seeming tired.
Zinnia looked like a kitten whoโd lost its favorite treatโlazy and sad, unwilling to meet her owner's gaze.
โYou stole my snacks!โ Zinnia snapped, glaring at him. โYou even locked the snack cabinet! Now I canโt even have a pack.โ
Since Zinnia moved in, Yannis had made a special snack cabinet for her, filled with treats she couldnโt eat.
โDonโt blame me, Zinnia. I left you some snacks,โ Yannis said, pointing to the few treats on the table.
โI want chips and gummies,โ Zinnia said.
Yannis said, โIf I give you some treats, will you forgive me, Zinnia?โ
Her complaint sounded sad. Her little pout was endearing.
โYou wonโt give me any,โ Zinnia huffed.
โI donโt even know why Iโm acting so bratty. This isnโt even my place, and Iโve only known Yannis a short time,โ she thought.
Yannis chuckled softly as he put down the bags. โLooks like I really let you down. I wonder if these will make it up to you.โ
Yannis enjoyed Zinniaโs little sulks. She was relaxing around him, her shyness fading.
โWhat?โ Zinnia asked, pretending indifference, as her eyes met his.