Chapter 257

Yannis had no idea how long he’d been in a daze. When he finally snapped out of it, the classroom was filled with wild, thunderous applause that jolted him back to reality.

He glanced down at the phone in his palm and quickly stopped the recording, so the enthusiastic clapping was no longer being captured.

Yannis looked toward the classroom. Zinnia rose gracefully to her feet and offered an elegant curtsy of gratitude, her delicate, heart-shaped face radiant with a captivating smile.

Though it was just a simple, makeshift stage, the girl at its center seemed set apart, as if in her own world. Bathed in the spotlight, her slender, delicate figure became the sole focus of every gaze—her petite silhouette the only reflection in their eyes.

The classroom lights snapped on. Students swarmed around Zinnia, buzzing with excitement and showering her with endless praise. As her performance concluded, the afternoon’s Christmas event came to a perfect close, signaling the end of the school day as everyone got ready to leave.

As the curtains were drawn back, Yannis standing outside the classroom came into view. The voices in the room hushed as Zinnia followed everyone’s gaze and met his deep, affectionate eyes through the window.

Was it just her imagination, or did those eyes truly hold only her? Realizing who it was, Zinnia’s lips curved into a wide smile, her eyes sparkling with joy.

Yannis locked eyes with her, his lips curving into a smile as warmth rippled through his eyes like gentle waves, spreading outward in tender layers.

As Zinnia slipped back into her beige cashmere coat and walked out of the school with Yannis, she asked, “Why are you here? The school didn’t invite family to the show, did they?” She was sure family members weren’t invited.

Zinnia suddenly recalled Yannis asking about her performance time earlier. ‘Could he have come just to see me?’ she mused inwardly, feeling a little smug at the thought.

“Just here to take you home. Was dropping off some donations and happened to run into you,” Yannis said, straightening her collar.

“I see,” Zinnia said. She felt a pang of disappointment when she realized that Yannis was there only to drop off donations and not to watch her performance.

She quickly pushed the feeling aside, reminding herself that someone as busy as he was wouldn’t make time just for her.

In fact, she had expected to see him only after school, so running into him there already felt like a stroke of luck. Zinnia was easily pleased, and just seeing Yannis show up gave her a little thrill.

“When did you get here?” Zinnia looked up at Yannis, her eyes shining with anticipation. What she really wanted to ask was, “Did you see my performance?”

“I got here during your performance—just in time to catch your show,” Yannis said, his deep voice laced with undisguised amusement.

Immediately, Zinnia felt her cheeks flush inexplicably, while a small, indescribable delight bubbled up inside her. ‘So he really did watch my performance,’ she thought giddily to herself.

As Yannis settled into the car beside her, he asked gently, “It’s Christmas and we’ve still got plenty of time. Do you want to head home, or is there somewhere you’d like to go?”

Zinnia would have loved to go out and soak up the Christmas spirit—the city was beautifully decorated and buzzing with life. But if Yannis was busy, she didn’t mind heading home instead. She asked gently, “Are you busy? If so, we can just go home.”

“Not busy at all. Let’s enjoy Christmas outside today,” Yannis said with a gentle smile, shaking his head. He knew Zinnia would want to be out for the holiday, so he’d cleared his afternoon just for her.

“Great! Maisie told me there’s a huge Christmas tree at Lyency Alley, and they just opened a nice restaurant there too,” Zinnia nodded eagerly, her eyes lighting up with excitement.

The driver took them straight to Lyency Alley. On Christmas, every street corner, every sidewalk, every inch of space was packed with bustling crowds.

As they stepped out of the car, the street sparkled with twinkling fairy lights and festive apple-shaped decals. Outside the dazzling storefronts, towering Christmas trees stood proudly on display.

The long street they were on had been meticulously decorated. Delicate string lights were strung overhead, looking like a shower of glistening threads in the air.

The ground was blanketed with artificial snow, while snowmen in bright red scarves, candy gift boxes, and Santa figures dotted the sidewalk, creating a truly magical holiday atmosphere.

This was Zinnia’s first Christmas in the city. She darted her gaze left and right, marveling at everything with wide-eyed wonder.

“Easy there. It’s crowded. We’ve got all day—let’s take our time,” Yannis said, taking her by the wrist and pulling her into his arms, shielding her from two people rushing past.

Zinnia found herself pressed against Yannis’s warm embrace, the faint scent of mint lingering in the air. The fabric of his clothes was incredibly soft and comforting against her skin.

Her cheek pressed against his chest, the steady, strong rhythm of his heartbeat seeping into her awareness through her ear.

Caught off guard as she was pulled into his arms, she felt momentarily dazed, her palm still tingling from the lingering warmth where he held her wrist. Looking up, she whispered shyly, “Yannis…”

Yannis released her wrist, gently ruffled her hair, and looked down at her with a soft gaze. He said, “Someone was about to bump you just now. Well, you don’t have to rush. I’ve finished all my work—today, I’m all yours.”

There were times when Yannis would pick Zinnia up after school, and the two of them would steal a few moments together wandering outside.

But sometimes, urgent work matters would arise unexpectedly. Yannis would always push his tasks aside to be with her, and later at night, Zinnia would often see the light in his study burning long after everyone else had gone to bed.

After going through this a couple of times, Zinnia developed the habit of rushing through their outings, eager to take in everything around them as quickly as possible—so she wouldn’t take up too much of Yannis’s time, even if he had work waiting for him.

“Mm,” Zinnia murmured softly, meeting his gentle gaze.

“Let’s take it slow, no rush. If anything catches your eye, we’ll get it,” Yannis said softly. Only after Zinnia nodded did he reluctantly release her, his touch lingering for a moment.

Zinnia no longer rushed from place to place as before. Instead, she strolled leisurely, with Yannis keeping pace beside her.

Noticing Zinnia had stopped in front of a trinket shop, Yannis asked gently, “Would you like to go in and look around?”

“Yes!” Zinnia nodded eagerly. No girl could resist a shop brimming with all sorts of pretty trinkets.

But the shop was packed with people. Zinnia glanced back at Yannis, worried he might not want to go in. ‘Maybe we should just skip it this time,’ she thought. ‘I can always come back with Lydia or Maisie another day.’

“Then let’s go in,” Yannis said before Zinnia could speak. He glanced at the crowded shop, took her by the wrist, and leaned in so his voice was just for her. “It’s pretty packed in there, Zinnia.

“You’d better hold on tight to me, or I might lose you in the crowd.”

Zinnia looked down at their joined wrists, ‘Wait, wasn’t I supposed to be the one holding him? How did it end up with him holding me?’ she wondered, puzzled but not resisting.

With so many people inside, it would be easy to get separated. “Okay,” she murmured.