Anne clenched her fists tightly, and then apologized to Zinnia. “I’m sorry, Zinnia,” she said, apologizing for the way she’d treated her in the past.

“Wait. Why are you apologizing?” Zinnia blinked in surprise.

Zinnia was astonished by Anne’s revelation. As a child, Anne had survived a kidnapping during which her face was slashed with a knife. After that traumatic incident, she had been living abroad ever since.

Anne returned home for her father’s birthday during a summer break. The Shaw family also came to the party. They brought Betty along with them.

Betty quietly sought Anne out while Anne was resting in the lounge. Producing a jar of Moon Scar Cream, Betty boasted about how rare and valuable it was, dramatically recounting all the hardships she’d endured to obtain it.

The Moon Scar Cream was incredibly rare. Even the Carson family couldn’t obtain it easily. After using the cream, the scar on Anne’s face gradually faded.

She had truly considered Betty a friend, never suspecting that the cream was actually stolen from Zinnia. To make matters worse, Betty had even tried to instigate Anne to teach Zinnia a lesson.

To be honest, Anne had always wondered how Betty managed to get the Moon Scar Cream. It was something even the prestigious Lynn family couldn’t get their hands on.

There was no way that the Shaws, who were dependent on the Lynns, could possibly have it. Given the Shaw family’s modest standing, it would’ve been nearly impossible for them to compete with the elite circles for such a rare cream, especially one with such remarkable efficacy.

Anne had tried the Moon Scar Cream from the Moore family abroad before, but the effects were just average. The one Betty gave her, though, was completely different. It really worked wonders.

Judging from Betty’s reaction, Anne guessed that Betty must have had no idea just how effective the Moon Scar Cream really was. Otherwise, Betty wouldn’t have given it to Anne so readily and then tried to take it back later.

“Now I owe you two favors, Zinnia. If there’s anything you want, just tell me,” Anne said. After all the twists and turns, it was always Zinnia who ended up helping her. Anne took a deep breath to steady herself, a relieved smile spreading across her face.

Zinnia paused to consider, and then said, “Let me think about it and get back to you.” She really didn’t need anything right now.

“Alright, just let me know anytime you need anything. As the heir to the Carson family, I promise you, whatever you need, we’ll spare no effort to help.” Anne’s blue–tinged eyes were solemn, yet softened by a gentle smile.

“Alright,” Zinnia agreed.

Zinnia watched as Lydia’s slender fingers kept tracing the crack on the bottle. She said soothingly, “Lydia, don’t be upset. I really do have another bottle just like this one. I’ve already called Chandler. He’ll have it delivered tomorrow. As soon as it arrives, it’s yours.”

Lydia’s fingers gently traced the crack on the bottle. “Okay, Zinnia, I’ve made up my mind. I want to meet him,” she murmured. None of them knew what would happen the next second.

Lydia wanted to meet that man–her father. She needed to know the truth from back then. Over the years, Bonnie repeatedly said during her lucid moments that she never believed he would have abandoned them on purpose.

The neighbors always said Lydia’s parents were deeply in love, an enviable couple. That was why Bonnie could never accept that he had truly left them.

“Lydia, have you really made up your mind?” Zinnia asked, surprised Lydia had decided so quickly.

Lydia nodded firmly. “Yes, I’ve made up my mind. I want to meet him. I need to know the truth about what really happened back then.”

“Alright,” Zinnia said. “I’ll talk to Yannis when I get back and have him arrange your meeting. But he left for a business trip to another city last night and probably won’t return until the weekend.” Yannis had departed on his trip the previous evening.

“Alright,” Lydia said.

On Friday, Zinnia stepped out of school and headed toward the roadside parking lot. Stephen and Emily were waiting for her.

Emily opened the car door for Zinnia. Before Zinnia got into the car, her eyes lit up at the sight of the person in the back seat. She quickly scrambled inside. “You’re back!” Zinnia exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with delight.

There in the back seat sat Yannis. He’d been away on a five–day business trip, and Zinnia hadn’t seen him in what felt like forever. They video chatted every night, but to her, it just didn’t count. Nothing beat seeing him in person.

“I’m back,” Yannis said, his eyes twinkling with a warm, starlit smile.

Zinnia sat down beside him, unable to take her eyes off him, not even blinking once.

Yannis neatly folded Zinnia’s scarf and tucked it into the glove compartment. With the heater on, the car was warm and cozy. He glanced at her and asked gently, “What’s wrong?”

“It feels like you’ve gotten even more handsome while you were away, Yannis,” Zinnia said with a grin.

Winter had arrived. He looked even more striking with his tall, elegant frame accentuated by a fitted black cashmere turtleneck. His neck was exposed, and his prominent Adam’s apple bobbed slightly as he swallowed.

Zinnia’s gaze was instantly hooked by his bobbing Adam’s apple. That was when she finally noticed just how appealing it was. It looked like it’d feel really good to the touch.

“What are you looking at?” Yannis asked, lowering his gaze. She hadn’t taken her eyes off him. He looked himself over, but didn’t see anything out of the ordinary.

“Nothing.” Zinnia shook her head. She remembered hearing that Adam’s apple was untouchable, so she kept that thought to herself.

Yannis reached into the glove compartment, took out a box, and handed it to her. “Here,” he said.

“What’s this?” Zinnia asked, unwrapping the box with curious fingers.

“These are rose pastries from Yellowsin. I knew you’d love them,” Yannis said. Knowing how much Zinnia enjoyed trying different pastries, he always brought her local specialties whenever he traveled.

“Rose pastries!” Zinnia exclaimed. Just the name made her mouth water. As she spoke, she opened the box, and the sweet fragrance of roses instantly filled the car.

The pastries in the box resembled real roses, each petal paper–thin and etched with fine, intricate lines. It was so exquisite that it almost seemed a shame to eat them.

Zinnia gently touched a petal; it was crisp to the touch. “If it weren’t so crisp, I’d have thought it was fake,” she marveled to herself.

She picked one up and took a bite. The rich rose flavor filled her senses, and the taste was lightly sweet. The delicate pastry rumbled and melted between her lips and teeth, making her mouth water. It was truly delicious.

After finishing one, Zinnia turned to Yannis and asked, “Did you have one yet?”

“No,” Yannis replied. “He hurried to pick up the pastries after finishing the business deal and then rushed for his flight. He hadn’t had a chance to eat yet.

“Here, try one. It’s delicious,” Zinnia said, picking up a rose pastry and offering it to Yannis.

She’d meant for Yannis to take it himself, but to her surprise, he bent his neck and took a bite of the rose pastry directly from her fingers.

The rose pastry was small. When held between two fingers, the already petite treat left barely any space between them.

His soft lips barely grazed her warm, tender skin.

“Yannis,” Zinnia murmured, lowering her head as her gaze lingered on his rosy lips–soft, with a faint coolness. Then it hit her: just moments ago, when she’d taken a bite, her own lips had touched that very spot.

“What’s wrong?” Yannis asked after swallowing the rose pastry, his expression calm and unreadable.

Zinnia shook her head and withdrew her hand. “It’s nothing,” she said. Seeing that Yannis didn’t seem the least bit fazed, she felt too embarrassed to mention it.

‘Maybe I’m just overthinking this,‘ she told herself. ‘He feeds me treats all the time. So it’s only natural for me to feed him too… right?‘