Chapter 192

The hospital wasn’t far from Cloud Harbor, but weekend traffic jammed every road. By the time they finally returned, Zinnia had drifted to sleep, her head resting on Yannis’ shoulder. Yannis was working on his laptop when he felt a gentle weight settle there. His fingers paused, and he glanced down at her peaceful face.

He carefully moved the laptop aside and took the half-finished orange juice from her loose grasp. Exhaustion lined her face; she frowned even in sleep. He drained the cup—too sweet, but drinkable. He touched her hand; it felt a little cold. He tucked his jacket around her, and her tightly knit brows unconsciously eased.

His long, elegant fingers lightly brushed her forehead. He murmured, “Sleep well. When you wake up, everything will be fine.” “The Shaw family will never get another chance to hurt you. The Shaw family and Maelis, I’ll make them pay,” he swore.

Yannis carefully applied more ointment to her cheek. Only a faint pink mark remained where the slap had landed. But the slap hadn’t just landed on her face; it had wounded everyone who cared for her.

When they reached the garage, the driver opened the door. Zinnia was still deeply asleep. Yannis bent down and scooped her up, her small body curling into a little bundle in his arms. He frowned and thought, ‘She’s still so light. I really need to fatten her up.’

Zinnia stirred, her brows knitting as if about to wake. Sensing this, Yannis gently patted her back. She relaxed again, unconsciously nuzzling closer against his chest. As they approached, the motion-sensing elevator slid open automatically. Yannis carried Zinnia inside, and it ascended smoothly.

In her bedroom, Yannis knelt to remove her shoes. Sunset light bathed them—him kneeling by the bed, her sleeping—in golden stillness.

When Zinnia woke up, the setting sun outside her window painted the sky with layers of fiery clouds, filling the room with a warm golden glow. For a moment, she felt as if she had returned to the days in that small town. Back then, her favorite time was the summer sunset. Every evening, the afterglow painted the sky with unique beauty; each sight a feast for the eyes.

When the sun set, Nathan would always take little Zinnia’s hand and lead her to the herb garden. Together, they would gather herbs there. In the peaceful silence, the lingering glow of the sunset gradually faded. For a moment, time seemed to melt away.

But when her gaze fell on the shiny apricot-colored floor, she was suddenly pulled back to reality—she was no longer in that small town, and Nathan was no longer by her side. The door creaked open slightly. Zinnia looked up and saw Yannis’ figure in the doorway. She dazed for a moment. The emptiness she’d felt moments ago was quietly replaced by his solid presence.

“You’re awake,” Yannis said, pushing the door open. “Hungry? I made your favorite food.”

“Um,” Zinnia mumbled, looking at Yannis. “How did I get back?” She remembered being in the car, then nothing.

“I carried you back,” Yannis replied, a teasing smile playing on his lips.

Chapter 192

Zinnia’s drowsy mind jolted awake. She sat up straight, her cheeks turning crimson. “Y-you carried me back?” She was embarrassed. She was completely exhausted that afternoon and didn’t remember falling asleep, let alone being carried home. A playful smile tugged at Yannis’ lips, clearly enjoying her embarrassment. He added, “You were sleeping so soundly. I couldn’t bear to wake you. I scooped you up, princess-style.”

Zinnia’s cheeks burned hotter. The earlier melancholy vanished, completely drowned out by acute shyness. Fidgeting with the bedsheet, she murmured, “Yannis, next time I fall asleep, just wake me up, okay?”

“Nope,” Yannis grinned. “It’s such a rare chance for me to hold you in my arms. Honestly, my ego is kind of enjoying this.”

“En—enjoy this?” Zinnia muttered.

“I just want to hold you close,” Yannis drawled. His eyes sparkled with genuine warmth beneath the teasing. “If you weren’t asleep, I wouldn’t have this perfect chance to cuddle you.”

Yannis watched her closely. The lost, lonely look he’d seen when he first opened the door was gone, replaced by flustered energy. That was better. He was always like this—saying things that sounded like flirting, impossible to tell if he was serious or just teasing.

“Yannis, I’m a grown-up now. You can’t be so touchy-feely with me,” Zinnia tried to sound stern.

“And plant a kiss on your lips?” Zinnia blurted, then froze. ‘Oh my gosh, did I really just say that out loud? My tongue is running a marathon today and my brain’s still in bed!’ Zinnia thought to herself, clapping both hands over her mouth, eyes wide with horror.

“Kiss?” Yannis was momentarily stunned. “Well, Zinnia, you’re still too young for that,” he said. Then, the implications dawned on him. She was at an age when teenage feelings started bubbling up. She was beautiful, kind, and trusting, and he’d noticed plenty of guys eyeing her at today’s party.

Alarm bells suddenly went off in his mind. Forgetting about calling her to dinner, he strode into the room and sat down at the desk. His expression turned serious. Zinnia looked at him, puzzled, a sense of foreboding creeping into her heart.

“Zinnia,” he started, his voice low and firm, “you’re still young, and there are things you might not fully understand yet. Physical intimacy, like kissing and other such things, isn’t appropriate until you reach adulthood. If anyone ever tries to force you, don’t hesitate to fight back. Use whatever you can to protect yourself, and I’ll handle the fallout.”

Yannis looked at Zinnia, his gaze intense. “Zinnia, there are plenty of smooth-talking boys out there. They always deceive girls. You’re still young, and it’s easy to be misled.”