Chapter 233
After the Lydia situation was settled, Zinnia’s gaze landed on Yannis’ casual outfit. He didn’t look like someone who had been at the office. “Where were you today?” she asked.
“Seeing off Jackson,” Yannis replied.
“Jackson? Where’s he going?” Zinnia was puzzled.
“He went to Mealinia for business negotiations,” Yannis replied, keeping another reason to himself–Jackson was also there to confirm if the person they had been tracking was indeed Nathan.
Ever since the suspicion arose, Jackson had been eager to go himself, but endless responsibilities kept him anchored.
Now that the Shaw family had been sent to prison, he finally had time to investigate if Nathan was truly behind Mealinia’s MZ Group.
Zinnia nodded. “I see.”
Yannis added, “I’ll arrange drivers for your outings these days. For safety, two bodyguards will shadow you discreetly.”
Donald was still at large, a hidden threat who could target Zinnia at any moment. Yannis thought covert protection was a must.
“Okay.” Zinnia wasn’t naive; she knew Donald’s disappearance posed a risk.
The second they stepped into the living room, Zinnia started whining about the heat and took off her creamy yellow coat.
Yannis shook his head, one hand holding Zinnia’s backpack while clutching her coat in the other.
Zinnia instinctively turned toward her room to study, but Yannis snagged the back of her collar. “Eat first,” he said. “Dinner’s ready.”
“You finished cooking that quickly? I still have two problems left to do,” Zinnia said, thinking about going to work on those problems.
STEM subjects had always been challenging for her, so she had asked Lydia to gather extra practice problems. She believed that practice made perfect and drilled herself daily.
Yannis took her wrist gently and led her to the dining table. “You can eat first and then get back to your problems. Your teacher wouldn’t want you to wear yourself out just to grow up faster.”
Zinnia’s recent drive stemmed from realizing Nathan’s hardships. She wanted to grow up quickly, to one day support him.
Yannis admired her ambition–skills would be the foundation for her future–but he didn’t want her to neglect her health.
“Okay,” Zinnia replied, not surprised that Yannis had seen through her. She just felt useless, unable to help Nathan. Now, with Nathan having no family left, she needed to grow up and protect him.
Once, Nathan’d protected her, and she wanted to return the favor. But at present, the only thing she could strive for was to study. Only when she improved her academic performance could she think about other things.
“Zinnia, you’re doing well,” Yannis said, “You’re young–these burdens aren’t yours alone. Eat, rest, and take care of yourself. When Nathan returns, he’ll be glad you’re healthy.”
“Besides,” Yannis added, ruffling her hair gently, “even if the sky falls, we’ll hold it up. We’ll face any trouble first–you don’t need to worry too much."
Yannis thought children should live like children–no need to burden themselves with adult problems. Nathan had spent over a decade shielding her from the truth, all because he wanted her to live a carefree life.
Zinnia nodded. “Understood.”
But they both knew that once certain truths emerged, innocence could never be regained. Growth was inevitable.
Yannis studied her composed expression, sighing inwardly, ‘Perhaps some revelations should have waited!’
He settled down next to her, gently laying a piece of salmon fillet on her plate. “Your favorite.”
Zinnia looked at the salmon, then at him. “Yannis, is your insomnia better?” she asked.
Her gaze lingered on the faint shadows under his eyes. They were much less pronounced than when they first met, when exhaustion had carved deep lines into his face. Now, he looked far more energized–definitely healthier than ever before.
Zinnia had been replacing Yannis’ herbal pouches, preparing sleep-aid pills, and adding calming herbs to his soups. His sleep had improved remarkably.
He used to suffer severely from insomnia. So, even a partial improvement was a huge step forward for his body. As his sleep got better, his health was also being gradually nursed back to normal.
Yannis smiled softly, “You’re quite a little healer, Zinnia.”
His sleep had improved drastically since that pivotal night. Though he still woke hourly, he could now fall back asleep–even if fitfully. The change was monumental; once, mere hours of rest had felt like a luxury.
“Yannis, let me check you up after dinner,” Zinnia said. She needed to check up on him–she couldn’t stick around forever, after all.
Each morning, Benedict’s messages flooded her phone, accompanied by his signature pleading emojis.
[Zinnia, returning today? I’ll chauffeur you.]
[Coming back today? I’ll go to pick you up.]
[It’s been three days, and your loyal butler is withering.]
[It’s the fourth day today, and we’ve been expecting your return.]
Zinnia shook her head, feeling helpless. Benedict acted as if she might vanish like smoke.
Yannis tensed at her words. “Alright,” he managed, a strange dread coiling in his gut.
After dinner, as Yannis stepped out of the kitchen, Zinnia waved from the sofa. “Yannis, come here. Let me check your pulse.”
“Zinnia, wait. I just remembered I’ve got something urgent. How about we check next time?” Yannis trusted his instincts and made a beeline for the study.
“Don’t worry. This’ll take just one minute,” Zinnia said, stepping over and grabbing his wrist before he could duck away. She needed to feel his pulse; if he was really back to normal, it was time for her to start packing.
Back when she first stayed, it was just a straight-up trade: her medical help for a place to crash. But now, somehow, the thought of not seeing him every day stirred an unexpected ache—an empty hollow in her chest she couldn’t explain.
Stuck in her hold, Yannis looked down at her slim fingers on his wrist–nails trimmed short, pink and healthy, each one perfect. Her touch was soft, and he felt a warm tenderness stir in his heart.
“Your pulse is way stronger now,” Zinnia said. “It won’t be like one day you might pass out alone somewhere.”