Chapter 168
Maisie thought, “Yannis 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.”
“When Yannis heard Neo’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,” she continued.
“Is Grace Yannis’s mom? She’s gone?” Zinnia asked hesitantly. She realized she had rarely heard anyone talk about Yannis’s past—only then did it hit her that no one had ever mentioned his mother before.
Maisie nodded. “Yeah. 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!”
Zinnia pictured Yannis’s face. He was already handsome; she couldn’t imagine how stunning his mother must have been.
“Maisie,” Zinnia asked, “what did you mean by that message you sent me?”
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?]
‘I don’t really understand why Maisie’s so worried about me, but I can feel she cares,’ Zinnia thought, feeling warm and comforted.
Maisie sighed. “That day was Grace’s death anniversary. Yannis always gets emotional when it comes to her. I was worried he might accidentally hurt you.”
Turns out, her worries were unnecessary—Yannis was actually in a pretty good mood. Little did Maisie know he’d gone home that night.
Originally, Jackson hadn’t planned to take Yannis home, but he insisted stubbornly. Drunk, he said, “There’s a kid at home. I’m worried she’ll be scared alone.”
Only they shared that secret that night.
“Is Yannis’s insomnia because of Grace?” Zinnia wondered, thinking about how lonely and sad he looked that night. From Maisie’s description, she could tell Grace must have been an amazing woman.
She thought, ‘No wonder Yannis was such a sweet kid. He had the best mom.’
“Yes. Grace died sixteen years ago,” Maisie said, her voice thick with unspoken sadness. “Yannis was only eight then.”
Zinnia said, “Maisie, do you know how Grace died? Yannis’s insomnia is really bad. He’s carrying some emotional baggage. Maybe her death is a trauma that still haunts him.”
Zinnia thought, ‘I can only help Yannis sleep better for now. But unless we address what’s bothering him, his sleeplessness will persist, and even if he gets healthier, it will worsen again.’
‘This must be the pain weighing on Yannis’s heart. I’ve been trying to figure out how to truly help him heal, but I still don’t know how,’ she continued her internal monologue. ‘Even if I get Yannis’s health back on track now, that insomnia will keep eating him up. Sooner or later, his body will crash again. And I can’t always be there for him.’
Maisie said, “All 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.”
“Grace’s death is a huge family secret—few people know about it. I was just a baby back then. James made sure no one talked about it,” Maisie explained.
“Zinnia, don’t ever ask Yannis about his mom. He totally freaks out whenever someone brings her up. Even James wouldn’t dare talk about her around him. If you mention her, he’ll turn on you instantly.”
Chapter 168
Maisie wanted to share more, but when Grace died, Maisie was only a one-year-old baby.
“Okay,” Zinnia replied softly. Her mind was heavy with worry as she finally fell asleep.
Zinnia thought, ‘Yannis may seem free and happy, but deep down, he’s carrying scars. He was the only one who survived, covered in terrible wounds; just hearing about it breaks my heart.’
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, Maisie’s phone buzzed incessantly. Annoyed, she unlocked it. “Zinnia, Ethan’s already spamming the group chat, telling us to get moving,” Maisie urged.
Zinnia sat up suddenly, wide awake. They were going to the amusement park today—her very first time. She was already looking forward to it.
“Zinnia, over here!” 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, “Here, I made breakfast for everyone.”
“Thanks, Lydia! Just in time. We haven’t eaten yet,” 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.
“I made the yogurt sugar-free for you,” Lydia whispered to Zinnia.
“Okay,” 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, “Lydia, you’re like our kitchen fairy!”
“As long as you like it,” Lydia replied, pushing up her glasses with a small smile, her tone fresh and bright as morning air.
“So tasty! But we only get to enjoy your cooking because of Zinnia. Lydia, you should open a restaurant. I’d come every day. If you need money, we’ll invest. With your skills, it’s sure to do well,” said Ethan.
“Not right now,” Lydia said softly with a gentle smile.
“Hey, did you guys hear? Neo’s party got messed up yesterday. He’s still stuck in the station. More than a dozen families left the city overnight. They must’ve upset a big shot,” 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, “We did it.”
“What happened, Maisie? You got so fired up and didn’t even tell us? Not even invite us to join. Are we still friends?” Ethan, who’d been lazily scrolling on his phone, suddenly sat up straight.