Chapter 241

Zinnia absentmindedly tapped her cup, a slight frown appearing on her face. ‘Why do I feel so off?’ she wondered, unable to pinpoint the source of her unease.

“What’s wrong? Can’t hold it? Let me take it for you,” Yannis said gently when he saw Zinnia frown, steadying the oversized cup in her arms. The cup was a bit heavy, and though he wanted to help, she insisted on holding it herself.

“It’s fine. I can handle it.” Zinnia shook her head, and then lowered her gaze and took a sip of her coffee. She didn’t bother trying to untangle the jumble of emotions inside her. Lately, they’d been swirling around all the time.

She was used to it, and they hadn’t done her any harm. Zinnia wasn’t one for patience; if she couldn’t figure them out, she’d just let them go.

While they chatted, the shop assistant was busy at work. Then, a voice called from the floral counter. “Your order is ready.”

The two turned to see the finished floral arrangement in the assistant’s hands. Zinnia’s eyes widened in surprise, and Yannis showed a hint of satisfaction.

The assistant approached carrying a three-foot-long rose stick. When the other customers in the shop caught sight of this unique bouquet, their eyes lit up with amazement.

Tugging at her boyfriend’s sleeve, a girl cooed, “I want one like that, too.”

A customer gasped, “Who knew flowers could be arranged like this? They’re absolutely gorgeous.”

“Who’s the genius who came up with this? Absolutely brilliant!”

The iced blue roses were artfully wrapped around the stick, adorned with satin ribbons and glistening pearl-string lights. Under the admiring gazes of onlookers, the assistant approached, carrying the stunning bouquet over to Yannis and Zinnia.

Yannis took the bouquet, and then turned to relieve Zinnia of her coffee cup, pressing the flowers into her hands as her eyes sparkled with delight. With a gentle, teasing smile, he murmured, “Here–your very own rose bouquet.”

Her delicate fingers curled around the slender stick, her thick lashes casting shadows over her cheeks as she gazed at the “bouquet” in her hands.

With everyone’s eyes on them, Zinnia, a girl who loved surprises, held the unique bouquet that no one else had, her delight impossible to hide.

Looking down at the flowers, she chirped sweetly, “Thank you, Yannis.” Her eyes curved into crescents as she looked up at him with a joyful smile, her bright, sparkling gaze reflecting his handsome face.

Yannis lowered his gaze, meeting Zinnia’s eyes brimming with pure joy. His heart skipped a beat as turbulent emotions surged within him. He rubbed his fingertips together, steadying the flutter in his chest.

‘No man could resist those eyes–so full of trust and dependence, seeing only me. It’s enough to make my defenses crumble,’ he thought.

Yannis sighed inwardly, ‘She’s so easy to please. Just a beautiful bouquet, and she looks at me with those adoring eyes, as if her whole world is filled with nothing but me.’

“Yannis, shall we head back now?” Zinnia said cheerfully, tugging at the hem of his shirt since his hands were full with all their purchases.

The flowers were stunning. Zinnia just had to go back, snap some photos, and show them off. She adored flowers, every kind there was. When she lived in the village, fresh blooms would magically appear in her room every morning.

There would be tulips, peonies, magnolias in spring; jasmine, bellflowers, sunflowers in summer; osmanthus, panicle hydrangeas, camellias in autumn; wintersweet, cymbidium orchids, and clivia in winter.

Knowing how much she loved flowers, Nathan specifically built her a greenhouse and cultivated a garden just for her. For over a decade, every single day without fail, he would replace the flowers in her room with fresh ones.

After moving in with the Shaw family, Zinnia had to let go of her old habit. Still, every now and then, Lucas would pick a flower for her. Each time she received one, it brought a little burst of joy to her heart.

The last proper bouquet Zinnia had received was from Lydia, a single, beautiful sunflower. Now, for the second time, it was this very moment. Yannis had given her.

Zinnia could easily buy flowers herself, but during her two-month stay with the Shaw family, she just hadn’t been in the mood. Still, she realized that getting flowers out of the blue could bring her real joy. Deep down, she still loved flowers.

“Like it?” Yannis asked, letting Zinnia tug him out of the flower shop by his shirt hem.

“I love it. Absolutely love it,” Zinnia beamed, nodding enthusiastically.

As soon as she got in the car, Zinnia handed the food she’d brought to Emily and Stephen in the front seat, smiling as she said, “These are for you.”

Zinnia always got a share for Emily and Stephen whenever she bought anything. After all, she knew they’d likely be working hard to keep her safe for quite some time.

Donald’s whereabouts remained unknown. Among the Shaw brothers, except for Howard, Yosef was sentenced to two years in prison, Timothy to one year, Maelis received ten years, and even Betty got three. The Shaw family had completely collapsed.

Donald was the only one who managed to escape, and he still hadn’t been found. For days now, Yannis and his team had been searching relentlessly, but it was as if Donald had vanished into thin air.

Zinnia never shortchanged those close to her. Her principle was simple: treat her well, and she’d return the favor tenfold.

“Thank you, Ms. Shaw,” Emily and Stephen in the front seat said, glancing at Yannis for approval before accepting the treats.

Stephen couldn’t really snack easily while he was driving, so Emily just hung onto the goodies for both of them. They were totally caught off guard when Zinnia bought stuff for them. They were stoked to find out they got a piece of the action.

But munching in the car wasn’t gonna happen for them. Zinnia was an exception for Yannis.

Yannis didn’t stop Zinnia’s gesture. She had an inherently kind heart that saw the best in everything. In her world, most people were good, and she never hesitated to share her kindness with those around her.

In today’s world, where most people acted out of self-interest, approached others with hidden agendas, and were constantly scheming, Zinnia’s pure-hearted goodness was truly rare and precious.

This was the result of over a decade of devoted guardianship by Nathan. Now that he had entrusted her to them, their duty was to help her preserve her pure heart as she grew.

They needed to shield her from the world’s darkness as much as possible, and let her learn about it only in the safest way.

The goal was to ensure that, within controlled parameters, those experiences became stepping stones for her growth rather than stumbling blocks. While they protected her, they must also help her develop her own protective thorns, so that when she faced challenges in the future, she wouldn’t be defenseless.

Sometimes, it was the small, thoughtful gestures that won people over. When people lacked power or status, adopting a humble demeanor and speaking gently could easily earn others‘ goodwill, making it much easier to achieve their goals.

The hardest thing to win in this world was people’s hearts. Yet Zinnia was born with delicate features and those bright, crystal-clear eyes that, when fixed on people, could instantly win their hearts.

Before they knew it, they’d find themselves wanting to fulfill her every wish. Yannis felt right this way as he first met Zinnia.

Chapter 242