Due to irreversible damage sustained in Zinnia’s childhood, she wasn’t suitable for a heart transplant; her system simply couldn’t withstand the procedure.
Zinnia had a peculiar heart condition that didn’t impact daily life or limit activities. She could run and jump freely. However, no one knew when her heart might suddenly stop. If that happened with no one around, it would be too late.
“Really?” Zinnia’s lashes fluttered nervously. “But didn’t you say my body wouldn’t be able to tolerate the surgery?”
“Yes, I found an ancient medical text,” Nathan coaxed. “You’ll be safe and sound. Once you grow up and your body stabilizes, we can perform the surgery. After that, Zinnia...”
“But even if the surgery is possible,” Zinnia murmured, “finding a suitable heart donor won’t be easy.”
Zinnia honestly didn’t care how much longer she had to live. She thought, ‘Finding a suitable heart donor is hard enough, let alone one that’s actually a perfect match. And even if there was a donor, would I even live to see eighteen?’
“Zinnia, I’ve found a heart donor for you,” Nathan said gently.
“Found one?” Zinnia asked, her eyes widening in surprise. ‘Everyone wants to live. Now that I have a real chance, of course I want to survive too,’ Zinnia thought to herself.
“Yes, I’ve found one,” Nathan said softly. “Remember when I asked you to deliver medicine to the Evans family? There’s a terminally ill person there who has agreed to be a heart donor. When you turn eighteen and have the surgery, you’ll be completely cured.”
“The Evans family?” Zinnia echoed, surprised. It had been a long time since she last heard any news about them.
“Yes, the Evans family; they have been rooted in Yinecrest for over a century. They possess great power and enjoy a prestigious status. Their ancestors had close connections with the royal family.
“The Evans family’s financial reach extends across the globe. The Evans Group, under the leadership of Osborn, is a titan in finance and investment, commanding a significant presence in global markets.
“The next heir, Adrian, is widely regarded as the most outstanding among the younger generation. They’ve promised Master that they will take you in as their goddaughter. Once they’ve sorted out their affairs, Master will bring you to meet them.”
‘The main line of the Evans family has only Adrian. By making Zinnia their goddaughter, Zinnia will be better protected in the future,’ thought Nathan.
Recently, some problems have cropped up in the Evans family, and Adrian has to go back to Yinecrest to deal with them. After everything is sorted out, Nathan will take Zinnia there.
“What did you trade in exchange?” Zinnia asked sharply. “The Evans family is such a prestigious family. How could they possibly agree to take in an unrelated girl like me as their goddaughter without any reason?”
Nathan said gently, “Master treated them, and those were the terms they agreed to.”
“Did you use the Flowing Technique again?” Zinnia’s voice trembled with worry. “Is that why you can’t get rid of your coughing fits? Is it because your life force is completely drained and you can’t recover quickly?”
‘Master seldom used the Flowing Technique because it took too heavy a toll on one’s vital energy. Even someone as resilient as Nathan needed a long time to recover after using it. This secret art was strictly reserved for life-or-death situations,’ Zinnia thought.
“It’s alright. I’ll be fine after some rest,” Nathan said with a gentle, warm smile.
“Don’t worry, Zinnia,” Nathan said gently. “As long as I’m here, everything will be okay. You just focus on being happy. You don’t need to take on my burdens. All my debts have been cleared. Now, I just want you to live a good life.”
Chapter 284
Nathan gently patted Zinnia’s back to offer comfort. Nathan thought, ‘I didn’t want Zinnia to bear my troubles.’
As Zinnia listened to Nathan’s words, she thought, ‘It’s as if Nathan’s making his final arrangements. He meticulously explained every deal to me...'
Nathan said softly yet insistently, “Zinnia, go watch some TV and take a rest for a while.” He tried to suppress the increasing itch in his throat. With a gentle nudge, Nathan guided Zinnia out of the kitchen.
The kitchen door snapped shut, completely obscuring the scene inside. The kitchen was so well soundproofed that Zinnia couldn’t hear a single sound from outside.
Nathan doubled over, overwhelmed by uncontrollable coughing fits. A metallic tang rose in his throat. He was pressing a black handkerchief to his lips.
Blood. Nathan clutched the display stand.
Nathan’s lips turned pale from coughing. His eyes, brimming with unshed tears, were bloodshot. Taking medicine to suppress his symptoms came at a cost; when the coughing started again, the backlash was far worse than usual.
Feeling the blood in his palm, Nathan lowered his long lashes, gazing at the stains on the black handkerchief. His eyes were calm as still water. A quiet sigh escaped him as he briefly closed his eyes.
‘This broken body, just hold on a little longer. At least let me finish everything,’ Nathan thought.
Zinnia sat on the living room couch, pretending to watch TV, but her gaze kept drifting toward the kitchen. She couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling in her heart.
The place was very similar to the place where Zinnia had stayed with Yannis. However, the kitchen had been specially renovated. The door was now opaque and even soundproof. Once it was closed, not a single sound from the kitchen could be heard.
Since Zinnia couldn’t stand cooking odors, she usually avoided the kitchen completely. She stood up, ready to go take a look. Just then, the doorbell rang.
‘Very few people knew their whereabouts. As they were still in Cloud Harbor, outsiders assumed that I was living with Yannis. If anyone showed up here now, it could only be Yannis or Jackson,’ Zinnia thought.
Zinnia shuffled downstairs in her slippers and made her way to the door. Instead of opening it immediately, she peeked through the peephole.
When she saw the tall and imposing figure outside, her eyes lit up with recognition. Zinnia flung the door open and exclaimed, “Quincey.”
Standing at the doorway was none other than Quincey.
“Zinnia, did you miss me?” Quincey called out warmly. Stepping forward, his eyes lit up at the sight of the bright, beautiful girl. Quincey laughed and scooped Zinnia up under her arms, spinning her around twice.
“Quincey, what took you so long? I thought you’d be coming back with Master,” Zinnia called out, her tone full of affection. As she was lifted and spun around twice in the air, Zinnia squealed with joy, her laughter tinkling brightly.
“There were matters in Mealinia I had to handle. Now it’s settled, I couldn’t wait to see our little Zinnia. Did you miss me?” Quincey’s rugged face lit up with a cheerful grin as he spun Zinnia around twice, then gently set her down.
“Hmph, as if! You and Master are such meanies, you just left me all alone back home, and so many people have been picking on me.”
“Who? Who dared bully our little Zinnia? Just point them out and I’ll teach them a lesson.” Quincey roared. The moment he heard Zinnia was bullied, his face darkened with fury. His biceps visibly tensed as his powerful, muscular frame coiled with barely restrained anger.
“Master, teach him a lesson. I feel like he’s hiding something from me,” Zinnia pouted playfully.
Chapter 284
Quincey was a towering, muscular figure, easily big enough to be two Zinnias put together. “Umm, Nathan? Little Zinnia, you’ll have to teach him a lesson yourself. I can’t help you with this one.”
At the mention of Nathan, Quincey’s expression immediately soured. He thought, ‘I regarded Zinnia as my little sister and Nathan as my little brother; I didn’t dare cross either of them.’
“Hmph, I knew you wouldn’t dare,” Zinnia said. “Alright, get in here. You must be exhausted after that long flight. Come in and rest.”
To Zinnia and Nathan, Quincey was more than a friend; he was family, the third member of their circle.