Come in 168
Posted on July 08, 2025 ยท 0 mins read
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Chapter 168

Maisie thought, โ€œYannis rushed over the moment he heard Zinnia was in trouble. If it were me, he would have just sent Toby. But he came himself; Zinnia was the only reason.โ€

โ€œWhen Yannis heard Neoโ€™s rude insults, his face turned ice-cold with anger. He was furious. Neo was going to pay a heavy price; Yannis probably ruined him for good,โ€ she continued.

โ€œIs Grace Yannisโ€™s mom? Sheโ€™s gone?โ€ Zinnia asked hesitantly. She realized she had rarely heard anyone talk about Yannisโ€™s pastโ€”only then did it hit her that no one had ever mentioned his mother before.

Maisie nodded. โ€œYeah. Yannis got his looks from her. Back then, Grace was the most beautiful woman in Jinston, skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. And she was a super-talented military doctor!โ€

Zinnia pictured Yannisโ€™s face. He was already handsome; she couldnโ€™t imagine how stunning his mother must have been.

โ€œMaisie,โ€ Zinnia asked, โ€œwhat did you mean by that message you sent me?โ€

They had gone shopping. That same night, Yannis got drunk. Later, Maisie asked Zinnia to come home with her, but she refused. Maisie texted her: [Do you want me to come pick you up?]

โ€˜I donโ€™t really understand why Maisieโ€™s so worried about me, but I can feel she cares,โ€™ Zinnia thought, feeling warm and comforted.

Maisie sighed. โ€œThat day was Graceโ€™s death anniversary. Yannis always gets emotional when it comes to her. I was worried he might accidentally hurt you.โ€

Turns out, her worries were unnecessaryโ€”Yannis was actually in a pretty good mood. Little did Maisie know heโ€™d gone home that night.

Originally, Jackson hadnโ€™t planned to take Yannis home, but he insisted stubbornly. Drunk, he said, โ€œThereโ€™s a kid at home. Iโ€™m worried sheโ€™ll be scared alone.โ€

Only they shared that secret that night.

โ€œIs Yannisโ€™s insomnia because of Grace?โ€ Zinnia wondered, thinking about how lonely and sad he looked that night. From Maisieโ€™s description, she could tell Grace must have been an amazing woman.

She thought, โ€˜No wonder Yannis was such a sweet kid. He had the best mom.โ€™

โ€œYes. Grace died sixteen years ago,โ€ Maisie said, her voice thick with unspoken sadness. โ€œYannis was only eight then.โ€

Zinnia said, โ€œMaisie, do you know how Grace died? Yannisโ€™s insomnia is really bad. Heโ€™s carrying some emotional baggage. Maybe her death is a trauma that still haunts him.โ€

Zinnia thought, โ€˜I can only help Yannis sleep better for now. But unless we address whatโ€™s bothering him, his sleeplessness will persist, and even if he gets healthier, it will worsen again.โ€™

โ€˜This must be the pain weighing on Yannisโ€™s heart. Iโ€™ve been trying to figure out how to truly help him heal, but I still donโ€™t know how,โ€™ she continued her internal monologue. โ€˜Even if I get Yannisโ€™s health back on track now, that insomnia will keep eating him up. Sooner or later, his body will crash again. And I canโ€™t always be there for him.โ€™

Maisie said, โ€œAll I know is that sixteen years ago, there was a kidnapping. Both Grace and Yannis were taken, but only Yannis survived. When James rescued him, he was covered in horrible wounds.โ€

โ€œGraceโ€™s death is a huge family secretโ€”few people know about it. I was just a baby back then. James made sure no one talked about it,โ€ Maisie explained.

โ€œZinnia, donโ€™t ever ask Yannis about his mom. He totally freaks out whenever someone brings her up. Even James wouldnโ€™t dare talk about her around him. If you mention her, heโ€™ll turn on you instantly.โ€

Chapter 168

Maisie wanted to share more, but when Grace died, Maisie was only a one-year-old baby.

โ€œOkay,โ€ Zinnia replied softly. Her mind was heavy with worry as she finally fell asleep.

Zinnia thought, โ€˜Yannis may seem free and happy, but deep down, heโ€™s carrying scars. He was the only one who survived, covered in terrible wounds; just hearing about it breaks my heart.โ€™

Thinking about the awkward tension between Yannis and James, she wondered what kind of tragedy could have caused such a rift. The truth was almost too painful to contemplate.

Early the next morning, Maisieโ€™s phone buzzed incessantly. Annoyed, she unlocked it. โ€œZinnia, Ethanโ€™s already spamming the group chat, telling us to get moving,โ€ Maisie urged.

Zinnia sat up suddenly, wide awake. They were going to the amusement park todayโ€”her very first time. She was already looking forward to it.

โ€œZinnia, over here!โ€ Ethan called out. As they went downstairs, the others had already arrived. Ethan had picked up Lydia on the way and rented a minivan for all five of them.

Lydia handed them breakfast and softly said, โ€œHere, I made breakfast for everyone.โ€

โ€œThanks, Lydia! Just in time. We havenโ€™t eaten yet,โ€ Maisie said as she took the food.

Between her two friends, Zinnia saw a feast: pan-fried ham patties, crispy potatoes, mini beef burgers, and a yogurt bowl to balance the richness.

โ€œI made the yogurt sugar-free for you,โ€ Lydia whispered to Zinnia.

โ€œOkay,โ€ Zinnia replied, her eyes shining. Ever since she decided to cut sugar, Lydia had been bringing her yummy sugar-free treats in the mornings.

Maisie took a bite of the beef and said happily, โ€œLydia, youโ€™re like our kitchen fairy!โ€

โ€œAs long as you like it,โ€ Lydia replied, pushing up her glasses with a small smile, her tone fresh and bright as morning air.

โ€œSo tasty! But we only get to enjoy your cooking because of Zinnia. Lydia, you should open a restaurant. Iโ€™d come every day. If you need money, weโ€™ll invest. With your skills, itโ€™s sure to do well,โ€ said Ethan.

โ€œNot right now,โ€ Lydia said softly with a gentle smile.

โ€œHey, did you guys hear? Neoโ€™s party got messed up yesterday. Heโ€™s still stuck in the station. More than a dozen families left the city overnight. They mustโ€™ve upset a big shot,โ€ Ethan said.

Yannis kept the news quiet, so few knew the full story. But when more than a dozen small families suddenly left overnight, even the less observant could tell something significant was happening.

Maisie put another bite in her mouth and said, โ€œWe did it.โ€

โ€œWhat happened, Maisie? You got so fired up and didnโ€™t even tell us? Not even invite us to join. Are we still friends?โ€ Ethan, whoโ€™d been lazily scrolling on his phone, suddenly sat up straight.


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