Chapter 196

Zinnia’s transfer to Evershine High dramatically altered her living environment, significantly impacting her. Her academic performance was a concern, but her emotional well-being was paramount. At only seventeen, most girls would be overwhelmed, yet she maintained high scores in reading, writing, and language—a testament to her hard work. Science, however, remained a challenge, requiring sustained effort to catch up.

“Yannis,” Zinnia asked, “if you don’t care about my grades, why did you ask if I had anything to tell you after I returned?”

After spending time with Yannis, Zinnia could discern his seriousness. Knowing he didn't care about her grades, she shed her guilt and brightened. Staring at him, she mused, “He seems unaware that I failed or snuck snacks, but his reaction suggests otherwise. Why?”

“Won’t you have a parent-teacher meeting?” Yannis inquired. Having attended Evershine High, he was familiar with its policies.

“Yes, we will,” Zinnia replied, puzzled.

“Who are you planning to invite as your guardian?” Yannis asked, his gaze fixed on her. He thought, “She seems carefree. Has she already chosen someone?”

“Mom, of course,” Zinnia answered.

Yannis thought, “Oh, right. I forgot Yvette is her mother now.” He raised an eyebrow. “Do you think she can cover for both you and Maisie?”

“Why not? Maisie and I are family,” Zinnia said, confused.

Yannis, expression unchanged, replied, “Even so, she can’t appear as the parent of both of you. Do you think she can handle both your situations simultaneously? What if she gets things mixed up?”

“If not, I’ll ask Charlie for help,” Zinnia said. Unfamiliar with Evershine High's rules, she found his words sensible given his serious demeanor. She thought, “The meeting will be long. If Mom hears about both me and Maisie, she’ll be overwhelmed. Does Charlie have time? I should check with him later.”

Yannis said, “Charlie has been busy lately.” He thought, “I can’t believe her first thought was to turn to the Lynn family.”

“Maybe I should check with Jackson,” Zinnia said, though aware of his likely commitments.

Yannis said, “Jackson has also been busy lately. He’s running around like a headless chicken.”

Chapter 196

“Well…” Zinnia decided against bothering Jackson. She thought, “Maybe I should ask Grandma and Grandpa.”

Yannis said, “Your grandparents are getting on in years. Parent-teacher meetings can be long, and sitting for that long could affect their health.”

Zinnia thought helplessly, “Now there’s really no one I can ask. Even Master isn’t here.”

“How about Perry?” Zinnia asked. She considered him due to his friendship with Yannis and his suitability for the meeting.

Yannis said, “Perry is busy with some messy family business. He doesn’t have time for you.” He wryly thought, “She even considered Perry. How could she not think of me? I’m a perfect option right in front of her.”

“Yannis, do you have any suggestions? Even Toby would do,” Zinnia pleaded.

All her options were exhausted. She thought, “If no one can make it, I’ll just have to represent my guardian myself.”

Yannis replied, “Toby is busy with work.” He thought helplessly, “Great. She even thought of Toby, but I never crossed her mind.”

“If it really comes to that, could you go for me, Yannis?” Zinnia asked.

Observing Yannis dismiss every suggestion, Zinnia wondered about his seemingly intimate knowledge of everyone’s schedule. Feeling hopeless, she thought, “If Yannis doesn’t have time, I might ask Benedict for help.”

“Alright. Friday afternoon, right?” Yannis replied.

“Yes.” Zinnia studied him, sensing he awaited her invitation.

“What are you looking at?” Yannis asked, suddenly realizing his hasty agreement. Awkwardness flickered across his face.

“Yannis, were you just waiting for me to invite you to attend my parent-teacher meeting? Aren’t you busy? My other brothers are occupied, and you just got back from overseas. Shouldn’t you be even busier?” Zinnia asked.

Zinnia’s certainty grew. She had considered inviting him, but his current workload seemed insurmountable. He'd been at a party the previous day, and she'd overheard comments about his demanding schedule at the peak of his career. The meeting would consume almost an entire afternoon, so she’d hesitated to bother him. She often saw his study light on late at night, further reinforcing her reluctance to impose. Most importantly, she knew he disliked being disturbed and didn't want to appear as a constant source of trouble, especially after already asking him for so much. For something so minor, she deemed it unnecessary. Therefore, she was extremely surprised by his swift agreement, as if he’d rehearsed it countless times, merely awaiting her request.

Chapter 196

“Wasn’t this your invitation? Now that you’ve asked, how could I possibly say no? Tell me, have I ever turned you down before?” Yannis asked.

Sensing Zinnia's increasing perceptiveness, Yannis straightened and adopted a serious expression.

Zinnia said, “Yannis, if you’re busy, I can ask Benedict instead.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll attend your parent-teacher meeting, even if I have to make time for it,” Yannis said, pointedly ignoring her alternative suggestion as he stood to clear the dishes.

“Yannis, you were just waiting for me to invite you, weren’t you?” Zinnia pressed.

Yannis ignored her, extending a hand. “Pass me the plate.”

“Yannis, if you wanted to attend my parent-teacher meeting, you could have just said so. Why beat around the bush and make me so anxious?” Zinnia said.

Zinnia handed him the plate, momentarily speechless as his silence revealed his true intentions. She thought, “Holy crap! He beat around the bush just to get me to invite him. I see right through him now.”

Zinnia glared angrily. “Such a sly businessman. He always plays mind games. He could’ve just told me. God, he scared me so much. I confessed everything, even about secretly eating snacks.”

Yannis raised an eyebrow. “You did something wrong and confessed without my questioning. Now you’re blaming me?” He thought, “She always twists the blame. Now I become the villain just for teasing her.”

Zinnia huffed.

“Alright. My bad. I promise I won’t tease you again,” Yannis apologized, smiling. Her carefree spirit was infectious; watching her made it impossible for him not to smile.