Come in 22
Posted on July 07, 2025 ยท 0 mins read
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Chapter 22

Betty forced a smile. โ€œItโ€™s okay, Mom. Iโ€™ll go help.โ€ She knew Sofia wanted her gone, but she didnโ€™t dare upset her. Sofia clearly didnโ€™t like her. She gave Zinnia one last glareโ€”it was all her faultโ€”and let Benedict lead her out. Now, just four people were left in the living room.

โ€œGrandma, whyโ€™d you send Betty away?โ€ Howard asked after Benedict and Betty left. He saw Sofiaโ€™s plan but didnโ€™t want a fight since he knew Sofia was not in a good mood.

They were at the Lynn residence. Here, Sofia called the shots.

โ€œHoward! Is this how you talk to Zinnia at home?โ€ Sofiaโ€™s face darkened. She flat-out ignored his question.

โ€œGrandmaโ€ฆโ€ Howardโ€™s voice fizzled. He fumbled for words.

โ€œI donโ€™t care how you treat Betty, but Zinniaโ€™s your sister. Same womb, same blood. You shout at her, belittle her? Is that how siblings act? Do you treat her like this always?โ€ Sofiaโ€™s voice rose.

โ€œโ€ฆโ€ Howardโ€™s lips moved, but silence followed.

โ€œAnd your brothers? Do they treat her like this too?โ€ Sofiaโ€™s eyesโ€”usually softโ€”blazed with disappointment.

Howardโ€™s mind raced. He wanted to lie, but Sofiaโ€™s steady gaze pinned him.

โ€œFine. Do you even know how your sons treat Zinnia?โ€ Sofiaโ€™s anger flared. She glanced at Maelis, who was sitting mute nearby.

โ€œMomโ€ฆ I donโ€™t,โ€ Maelis admitted. Her boys were always โ€œbusy,โ€ and rarely home. Visits revolved around Betty. Sheโ€™d barely seen them interact with Zinnia.

Her gaze sharpened on Howard. โ€œIs this how you always talk to her?โ€

Howard couldnโ€™t meet Maelisโ€™s eyes or Sofiaโ€™s.

โ€œHave you all lost your minds? Zinniaโ€™s your familyโ€”your daughter, your sister! How?โ€ Sofiaโ€™s fury boiled.

She fumed at Maelisโ€™ ignorance and Howardโ€™s avoidance. She had planned to mediate, but now she would like to kick them out. Zinnia had every reason to stay away from them.

โ€œMom, calm down. Weโ€™ll handle it,โ€ Maelis rushed to soothe Sofia.

โ€œGrandmaโ€ฆโ€ Howardโ€™s voice cracked with worry.

โ€œDonโ€™t stress, Grandma. Itโ€™s okay,โ€ Zinnia patted Sofiaโ€™s back.

โ€œIdiots. Howโ€™d I raise such clueless kids? My fault. But Iโ€™ve got your back,โ€ Sofia gripped Zinniaโ€™s hand. She made up her mindโ€”Zinnia would stay with her forever.

Maelis and Howard winced under the scolding. They didnโ€™t think theyโ€™d done anything wrong.

โ€œIโ€™m fine, Grandma. Donโ€™t fret.โ€ Zinniaโ€™s chest warmed. In Jinston, no one had defended her like this.

โ€œIโ€™m not mad, sweetheart. I gotta stay strong, whoโ€™ll protect you otherwise?โ€ Sofia stroked Zinniaโ€™s hand, breathing slower.

Sofia couldnโ€™t let her health slipโ€”Zinnia needed her. Maelis was clueless; Sofiaโ€™s grandkids were worse. They werenโ€™t snapping out of it anytime soon. Sofia had to stay tough for Zinnia, whoโ€™d been through enough.

โ€œMom! Zinniaโ€™s my kid. You think Iโ€™d hurt her?โ€ Maelisโ€™s voice wobbled. Sofia made their house sound like a horror show.

โ€œNot you, but that Betty youโ€™re blind to!โ€ Sofia snapped, riled up. โ€œThat girlโ€™s got more tricks than a street hustler.โ€

โ€œMom, this isnโ€™t about Betty. She apologized.โ€ Maelis defended Betty instantly.

โ€œIf not her fault, whyโ€™d you try shipping Zinnia off? Maelis, Zinniaโ€™s your kid. You carried her for nine months. Your mess-up caused this; she suffered because of you.โ€

โ€œNow that weโ€™ve got her back, love your daughterโ€”Zinnia!โ€ Sofia was done with Maelisโ€™s stubbornness. It was frustrating.

โ€œGrandma, donโ€™t stress,โ€ Zinnia said, genuinely worried. Honestly, she barely cared about the Shaws anymore. Sofia mattered more.

โ€œIโ€™m good, kid. This old henโ€™s still got fight,โ€ Sofia patted Zinniaโ€™s hand. โ€œToday, Iโ€™m schooling your thick-headed mom.โ€

Since childhood, Maelis was doted on by her parents, gliding through life effortlessly. She wed Donald, who kept indulging her. Even in middle age, shielded from lifeโ€™s woes, she still struggled to tell right from wrong.

Betty was trouble. With her around, Maelis and the others stood no chance with Zinnia.

โ€œMomโ€ฆโ€ Maelis hesitated. She wanted to say Betty wasnโ€™t the issue, but Sofiaโ€™s glare shut her up.

She dared not argue; Sofiaโ€™s health was too fragile. Seeing Zinnia tend to Sofia with care, Maelis noticed a strange changeโ€”the attentive Zinnia bore no resemblance to her former aloof self.

โ€œGrandma, we get it. Weโ€™re sorry. Letโ€™s take Zinnia home,โ€ Howard said. Zinnia just shrugged. Her indifference hit him hard.


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