Come in 28
Posted on July 07, 2025 ยท 0 mins read
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Chapter 28

From behind, the clerk couldnโ€™t help but gawk and thought, โ€˜Whoa, this is like straight out of those romance novels. The whole family drama thing is real. But it looks like this family isnโ€™t exactly getting along right now.โ€™

โ€œHey, Jackson,โ€ Timothy said. He hadnโ€™t expected to bump into Jackson and Zinnia and looked over at Zinnia.

She seemed different somehowโ€“happier. She was actually smiling, which was rare. Back at the house, sheโ€™d always seemed so withdrawn, and he could count the times heโ€™d seen her smile on one hand.

This smile was different, though. It was genuine and warm, like she was truly enjoying herself. She was wearing a pretty dress, looking like a little girl whoโ€™d finally found her place in the world. It was a far cry from the quiet, shadowy figure she used to be.

Betty caught Timothyโ€™s eyes lingering on Zinnia and pursed her lips. She hadnโ€™t expected Zinnia to still command attention like that.

Zinniaโ€™s smile vanished the moment she saw them. Her face went blank and cold again.

She pulled the orange juice away from her lips, her fingers unconsciously tightening around the cup. Jackson had bought it for her, and she didnโ€™t want to drink it in front of them. She was afraid sheโ€™d feel sick and waste his kindness.

โ€œHmm.โ€ Jackson noticed the change in her and responded with a cool nod. But he stepped a little closer to Zinnia, almost like he was shielding her.

โ€œJackson, Zinnia, glad to see you guys.โ€ Bettyโ€™s smile faltered. She hadnโ€™t expected him to be so cold. Her usually composed expression wavered, revealing a hint of hurt.

โ€œBetty, weโ€™re not real family. Letโ€™s keep it that way. And you can drop the act with Zinnia. Sheโ€™s got nothing to do with you,โ€ Jackson said.

He had no patience for her false niceties. Having seen all sorts of people in the business world, he could easily see through her little games. She was clearly trying to ingratiate herself with his family.

But the Lynn family didnโ€™t trust anyone so calculating. If she could scheme against her own relatives, who knew what she might do to them in the future?

The Lynn brothers had never liked Betty, not even as kids. There was something off about herโ€“she never seemed to have the warmth youโ€™d expect from a young girl in the family.

They only interacted with her because of Maelis, but now that she was out of the picture, Jackson felt a strange sense of relief. With Zinnia back, it was clear: it wasnโ€™t that they didnโ€™t want a little girl around, they just didnโ€™t like Betty.

โ€œJackson, I didnโ€™t mean anything by it.โ€ Bettyโ€™s voice trembled. She was furious inside, but she forced herself to look even more sorrowful.

Timothyโ€™s brow furrowed. He hadnโ€™t expected Jackson to be so harsh with Betty. He recalled how Zinnia had smiled warmly at Jackson when theyโ€™d first walked in. The two had chatted quietly, with Jackson even ruffling her hair.

But now, facing them, Zinnia hadnโ€™t smiled once, hadnโ€™t even said hello. He thought, โ€˜Itโ€™s just plain rude. Sheโ€™s only been away from home for two days, and already seems even more disrespectful.โ€™

He thought this was all Zinniaโ€™s fault and tried to expose her. โ€œHey, Jackson, Bettyโ€™s also family. Could you please be fair? I get it. Did Zinnia say something bad about her? Jackson, donโ€™t-โ€

He didnโ€™t get to finish. Jackson cut him off coldly, โ€œTimothy, youโ€™re the one who should be fair. Zinnia hasnโ€™t said anything. Stop making everything her fault.โ€

โ€˜The Shaw family are always quick to blame. I canโ€™t even imagine how Zinnia has endured all this mistreatment from them,โ€™ he thought, his determination to keep Zinnia away from the Shaw family only growing stronger.

โ€œJackson, Iโ€™m fine. Please donโ€™t fight with Timothy because of me. Zinnia doesnโ€™t like me, and thatโ€™s okay. I mean, I did take her place,โ€ Betty said, gently tugging at Timothyโ€™s hand.

She didnโ€™t want the Shaw family to fall out with the Lynn family. The Shaw family was influential in town, but the Lynn Family was even more so, and they were close with the Perkins family. Jackson was even a close friend of the Perkins heir.

Despite her words, she didnโ€™t deny what heโ€™d said. Deep down, she thought Zinnia must have said something bad about her to Jackson.

A wave of resentment washed over Betty as she thought, โ€˜Otherwise, Jackson wouldnโ€™t have treated me badly. Heโ€™s never spoken to me like this because of Zinnia. Why does Zinnia have to take everything from me?โ€™

Zinnia glanced over at Betty flatly, catching a flicker of disgust in her eyes. Bettyโ€™s dislike was becoming more obviousโ€”she was genuinely annoyed, and she wasnโ€™t even trying to hide it anymore.

From the first day Zinnia had returned, sheโ€™d felt Bettyโ€™s disgust. And during the two months at the Shaw residence, it had only gotten worse.

But Zinnia didnโ€™t care. Sheโ€™d never thought of the Shaw residence as home. Sheโ€™d only come back because her master had asked her to. Otherwise, sheโ€™d have stayed in Tareston, where she was perfectly happy.

Her master hadnโ€™t said she had to stay, though. Zinnia had never planned to linger here. Once her master returned, sheโ€™d be gone.

So, as long as Zinnia wasnโ€™t actually hurt, Bettyโ€™s hostility, or the attempts to flaunt the Shaw familyโ€™s affection or turn them against her, just didnโ€™t bother her.

If the Shaw family really cared, theyโ€™d look beyond hearsay and their own biases. But they never bothered to seek the truth. They chose to believe Betty because she was the child they raised, the one they couldnโ€™t imagine doing anything wrong.

As for Zinniaโ€“she was just a blood relation, not someone theyโ€™d nurtured. Compared to Betty, Zinnia was an afterthought. Whenever trouble came, their first concern was always for Betty, fearing she might get hurt.

For example, when Zinnia first came back. They told her to stay hidden in her room while they โ€œpreparedโ€ Betty for her arrival.

Zinnia wasnโ€™t always quick on the uptake, but once she saw through a situation, she was razor-sharp.

When Betty tried to provoke her, Zinnia didnโ€™t bite. She just gave back what she got. If they didnโ€™t care about her, she wasnโ€™t about to waste her feelings on them. As long as she kept herself safe, sheโ€™d be fine.

Now, it was clear sheโ€™d made the right choice. Between her and Betty, theyโ€™d always pick Betty.


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