Chapter 158

“She’s my one and only darling. Everyone was fighting over her, and I barely managed to win her. If you don’t bring her back, I’ll die of heartbreak!” Yannis replied with a playful grin, his eyes sparkling mischievously.

Hearing Yannis’s lazy words, Zinnia felt her cheeks warm. She thought, ‘Maisie and the others call her that all the time. But when it comes from Yannis, it feels…hot. Does he talk to everyone like this?’

“What are you looking at?” Yannis asked, sensing something familiar in Zinnia’s eyes.

“Smirking like a little devil, with all those sweet words. How many girls have you charm-talked like this?” Zinnia muttered.

Yannis said, “Hey, can’t I even smile? Zinnia, don’t get me wrong—you’re the only one I’ve ever called ‘darling’!”

‘Wow, this girl is getting bolder every day,’ Yannis thought, feeling wronged.

Zinnia mumbled, “Who knows? Maybe you’ve called other girls that before.”

Yannis turned to Jackson. “I’m a good guy. I barely ever talked to girls before.” Seeing her doubtful look, he sought backup.

Zinnia looked at Jackson and said, “Jackson is a real gentleman. Not like you, always spouting sweet words.”

Jackson said, “Zinnia, don’t believe a word Yannis says. When he was abroad, he was a total heartthrob. With that face, he was irresistible. Crowds of fans, both guys and girls, would gather outside his apartment every day.”

Jackson noticed their banter, feeling a strange mix of emotions.

“Liar,” Zinnia said, stepping away from Yannis and toward Jackson. She gave Yannis a sly look, enjoying his stunned expression.

“Ah, it’s so unfair! You two are ganging up on poor little me,” Yannis said.

After just one month, Yannis had been called a “little devil,” “honey-tongued,” and “liar.” Groaning inside, he swallowed his frustration. He thought, ‘Can you really blame me? My dad cut off my allowance, so I had to rent a shabby place with no security. Even with a mask, people still stared.’

“Want me to call you a shrink?” Jackson teased.

“Want me to check on you?” Zinnia turned, noticing Yannis’s lively, crazy side. She found it oddly interesting and kept watching him.

Yannis thought, ‘What new label is she putting on me? I was totally confused by her mysterious stare—can’t tell what she was thinking, but it wasn’t a compliment.’ ‘I really need to ask her. I want to count all the labels she’s given me. What kind of guy does she think I am?’

Yannis rubbed his face, his lively demeanor gone. He looked at the siblings with a defeated expression. ‘Fine, do what you want,’ he thought.

“Come on, let’s go upstairs,” Yannis said to Jackson.

Zinnia remembered her homework. With plans to go out, she knew she had to finish it quickly to enjoy herself without worries.

Chapter 158

Once inside the living room, Zinnia headed straight for her favorite snack cabinet. She wanted to see if there were any new treats.

Every time Zinnia came home, she found her snack cabinet filled with new snacks—all made just for her, thanks to Yannis working the factory overtime.

“Only one bag of chips today. Close the window when you do your homework,” Yannis called after her, holding Zinnia’s backpack.

Jackson, arms full, gave Yannis a teasing look. “So now you’re playing both big brother and housekeeper, huh?”

Yannis had told Jackson about Zinnia’s health a few days earlier: “If I don’t watch her, she’ll always sneak extra snacks.”

While Yannis changed his shoes, Zinnia had already grabbed a bag of chips, a box of cookies, and two chocolate bars—then rushed to her room.

“I bet James has never seen you act like a mom before,” Jackson said, surprised at how well Yannis cared for Zinnia.

Jackson thought, ‘At first, I thought Zinnia would just stay here for a while. But now, it’s like he’s raising her, worried about every little thing.’

“You left her to me, so I have to be careful. If something happens to Zinnia, you’ll come after me,” Yannis said as they walked to the living room.

“Your place used to be so quiet. Now that Zinnia’s here, it’s lively and full of energy. Isn’t that better?” Jackson said.

Jackson thought, ‘Last time I was here, I was in such a rush I didn’t see much. But now, it feels like the place got a total makeover—like a whole new home.’

“That’s true,” Yannis agreed, smiling.

“Look, you should thank Zinnia. She’s giving you lots of practice for when you have kids someday,” Jackson said, noticing the child-proof corners and princess chair. “You’re actually doing pretty well as a temporary parent.”

Jackson thought, ‘All my worries are gone—for now, at least.’

“If I had my own kids, I’d just hire a babysitter. But with Zinnia, I wouldn’t trust anyone else,” Yannis said, hanging her backpack and making Jackson coffee.

Yannis thought, ‘If I had kids, I wouldn’t need to do all this. My family members would fight over who gets to care for them. I’d barely even hold my own child.’ ‘But I wouldn’t trust anyone else with Zinnia. She’d just stay quiet if wronged, so I better keep a close eye on her myself.’

Jackson felt Yannis was more like a real brother to Zinnia than he was. He couldn’t give her the care she needed; Yannis seemed better suited to the role.

Yannis chuckled softly, raised his cup, and clinked it with Jackson’s. “Thanks for trusting me. I won’t let you down.”

Jackson leaned back comfortably. “Alright, what did you want to talk about? You’re not just here to brag about how good you are as a parent, right?”

Jackson sat up straight as Yannis dropped a big surprise: “Nathan might still be alive.”