Come in 222
Posted on July 09, 2025 ยท 0 mins read
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Chapter 222

After hanging up with Henry and the rest, Zinnia checked Lydia and Maisieโ€™s messages. Since she was too weak to make calls, she just used the voice message button to reply.

Lydiaโ€™s worried texts bombarded the screen. Zinnia kept reassuring her she was okay, and Lydia finally dropped the idea of a video call.

If I answered, theyโ€™d see right through me. I can feel how weak I am; my face must look as bad as I feel, she thought.

Just then, Yannis walked in with a food tray. Watching Zinnia struggle to tap her phone with one finger while reassuring the worried Maisie and Lydia, he teased, โ€œStill worrying about your friends when youโ€™re like this?โ€

Having finished answering most messages, Zinnia rested her head on the nightstand. Her face was tired, but her eyes were bright as she stared at the tray in Yannisโ€™ hands. โ€œIf you donโ€™t hurry, Iโ€™m gonna starve to death,โ€ she pouted.

โ€œFine, starve thenโ€“one less thing for me to worry about,โ€ Yannis joked, bringing the food over under Zinniaโ€™s puppy-dog eyes.

On the tray was a bowl of minestrone soup, a small serving of grilled steak, and a bowl of mushroom soup. At the sight of the steak, Zinniaโ€™s face lit up with satisfaction.

Yannis placed the tray on the nightstand, pulled a stool up to the bed, and began feeding Zinnia the minestrone soup.

โ€œI can do it myself,โ€ Zinnia said, suddenly feeling embarrassed.

When she first woke up, her mind was too fuzzy to care, and sheโ€™d been too busy chatting with him. But now that she was more alert, having him feed her with a spoon was a bit awkward.

โ€œSure you got the strength in your hands?โ€ Yannis eyed Zinniaโ€™s bandaged left hand, then her limp right oneโ€“both looked too weak to hold anything.

โ€œNot really,โ€ Zinnia mumbled, trying to move her hands and realizing they had no strength. โ€œMaybe get me a thick straw instead?โ€

โ€œNope, eat up,โ€ Yannis smiled, ignoring her request and bringing the spoon to her mouth. โ€œIโ€™m taking care of you now. If I ever need help, you wonโ€™t forget me, right? I remember you promised to look after me when Iโ€™m old.โ€

Yannis couldnโ€™t help but shake his headโ€“here he was, offering to help, and yet she wanted a straw instead.

โ€œYouโ€™re still young.โ€ Zinnia flashed a playful grin. โ€œBut donโ€™t worry. When youโ€™re all gray and wrinkly, Iโ€™ll take great care of you.โ€

Then she recalled Yannisโ€™s joke about how taking care of him would cost a fortune. Looking at how healthy he was now, she figured heโ€™d probably outlive her and wouldnโ€™t need her help when he got older.

โ€œOkay,โ€ Yannis replied. Watching Zinniaโ€™s eyes darting around, he knew she was cooking up some wild thoughts. He didnโ€™t call her outโ€“he had her promise, after all. What happened next was future Yannisโ€™ problem.

The rich smell from the spoon hit Zinnia, and she couldnโ€™t resist. โ€œThanks,โ€ she said, taking a bite.

โ€œYannis, I want some steak,โ€ Zinnia pleaded, her eyes fixed on the perfectly grilled steak. She could tell it was free-rangeโ€“the meat looked firm and juicy, and that perfectly golden skin was just irresistible. Her mouth was already watering just looking at it.

Yannis speared a piece of steak with his fork and held it to Zinniaโ€™s lips.

Chewing on the delicious steak, Zinnia looked at Yannis and asked, โ€œHave you eaten?โ€

โ€œNot yet,โ€ Yannis replied. Heโ€™d been watching over you all day, and food was the last thing on his mind.

โ€œYou havenโ€™t eaten yet?โ€ Zinnia exclaimed. She couldnโ€™t believe it was so late and he still hadnโ€™t eaten.

Yannis nodded. His mind had been on her all day; he hadnโ€™t even noticed hunger. He scooped up another spoonful of minestrone soup and held it to her.

โ€œYou eat too,โ€ Zinnia said, motioning to the food.

Yannisโ€™s hand, holding the spoon, stilled for a second, his eyes locking onto her worried ones.

Zinnia blinked under his intense stare. Whatโ€™s with that look? Did I say something wrong?

โ€œWhatโ€™s wrong?โ€ she asked, confused. Sheโ€™d only gotten worried when she heard he hadnโ€™t eaten and wanted him to have something too.

โ€œNothing.โ€ Yannis replied casually. He took a spoonful of soup for himself, then smoothly guided another spoonful toward Zinniaโ€™s mouth.

โ€œI want meat!โ€ Zinnia whined. She was so hungry she felt like she could eat an entire cow.

โ€œFinish the minestrone soup first, then you can have some meat,โ€ Yannis coaxed, his voice soft.

Zinnia nodded and slurped down the last of the minestrone soup.

Yannisโ€™s eyes lingered on her lips for a heartbeat, then he looked away and speared a piece of steak with his fork to feed her.

They polished off the small bowl of minestrone soup together. Each time, Yannis made her take a sip of soup before letting her have a bite of steak.

Only after they finished did Zinnia realize theyโ€™d been sharing the same spoon. She remembered there was another one in the mushroom soup bowl.

Knowing how much of a clean freak Yannis was, sheโ€™d just assumed heโ€™d use a separate spoon. But now, there was only one in his handโ€“where did the other spoon go?

โ€œYannisโ€ฆโ€ Zinnia called. The realization that theyโ€™d been sharing a spoon made her cheeks heat up.

โ€œWhatโ€™s up?โ€ Yannis asked, stacking the dishes.

โ€œWeโ€™ve been using the same spoon,โ€ Zinnia mumbled, nervously licking her lips, which had finally gained some color after eating.

โ€œHmm.โ€ Yannis paused mid-motion then looked up at her. โ€œDo I gross you out?โ€

His charming eyes locked onto hers, intense and dangerously alluringโ€“like a whirlpool pulling her under. The longer she looked, the deeper she sank.

Zinnia pushed away the flustered thoughts, stammering, โ€œNโ€“no, I donโ€™t mind. But youโ€™re a germaphobe, right?โ€ She was just worried he might find sharing a spoon with her disgusting.

Yannis caught on. His eyes softened, and the corners of his mouth curved up slightly. โ€œI donโ€™t mind sharing with you,โ€ he said, voice low and velvety with amusement.

His words and gaze settled into Zinniaโ€™s heart like two pebbles in still water. For a second, tiny ripples stirred her calmโ€“then vanished, leaving her mind peaceful again.

But those pebbles had already sunk. Who knew how many more would collect at the bottom? And when the lakebed filled, what storm might rise?

Zinnia felt a strange flutter in her chest. She didnโ€™t get this feeling yet, but it didnโ€™t scare her. โ€œI donโ€™t mind you either,โ€ she smiled brightly, her voice clear.

Yannis looked into her guileless eyes. His fingers twitched slightly, and a shadow crossed his eyes before he masked it completely.


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