Chapter 29
โBetty, if you truly believe youโve taken Zinniaโs place, do the right thing and leave. Stop making things hard for everyone.โ
โActions speak louder than words, and Iโm not falling for any more passiveโaggressive tactics. Iโm warning youโleave Zinnia alone, or youโll have me to deal with.โ Jacksonโs tone was icy, and his piercing look made Betty feel uneasy.
Betty felt a shiver run down her backโit was like he saw right through her.
โJackson, come on. Betty is a little girl. Where would she go if we kicked her out?โ Timothy stepped in, trying to defend her.
โHave you even thought about where Zinnia would go after you pushed her out?โ
โOf course weโd take care of her. Weโd set her up somewhere,โ Timothy said. At home, Betty and Zinnia were always clashing. He thought sending Zinnia away wasnโt about cutting her offโit was about giving her some space to breathe.
โYou can set Zinnia up somewhere, but you canโt do the same for Betty? And once sheโs gone, youโll just forget about her?โ Jacksonโs voice dripped with sarcasm.
โOf course not-โ Timothy replied automatically. They couldnโt just abandon Betty.
But his eyes drifted to Zinnia sitting off to the side, idly playing with her cup of juice, her gaze distant and disinterested.
Zinnia glanced up at Timothy briefly, her eyes so indifferent that it made his heart feel uneasy. It was as if something was slipping away from him, something he couldnโt hold on to, leaving him feeling helpless and anxious.
Timothy, a lawyer accustomed to dealing with all sorts of people, couldnโt shake the feeling that Zinnia had simply given up on them. She looked at them like she was seeing right through their facades, her gaze cold and distant.
It was as if sheโd seen their true colors long ago and decided to let go of any expectations. She accepted whatever came her wayโgood or badโwith a quiet resignation.
If they wanted to send her away, sheโd go. If they favored Betty over her, that was fine too. If misunderstandings caused her pain, she didnโt let it show. She just didnโt seem to care anymore.
She didnโt seem to care what they thought of her, whether they approved or disapproved. She was an observer, detached and uninvolved, as if she had no stake in the outcome.
Her heart had been broken, and in response, sheโd closed it off, fortifying it against further hurt. Her indifference was unsettling, making those around her feel uneasy.
Timothy couldnโt understand why he was so bothered by her attitude. All he felt was a growing irritationโwhy could she remain so calm and indifferent while he felt so frustrated and unsettled?
Timothy hadnโt paid much attention to Zinnia. He was always busy with work and often stayed elsewhere. He only came home when something required his presence, and even then, he rarely saw her. Zinnia kept to herself, holed up in her room like a snail in its shell.
Most of what Timothy knew about Zinnia came from Betty. She was always getting into troubleโbreaking Maelisโs favorite jewelry, smashing Donaldโs vase, or sneaking into Yosefโs room for who knew what reason.
Once, she made him a โhealthyโ soup that gave him a stomachache for hours. And she was always badmouthing Betty to Maelis, saying Betty had taken her place and should leave.
All this made Timothy feel frustrated whenever he thought about Zinnia. She seemed so petty and narrowโminded, like she hadnโt been taught to get along with others. And he just couldnโt bring himself to like her.
But today, and during their last meeting, he felt like he didnโt really know her at all.
Last time, she was sharpโtongued and quick to anger, always on the defensive. She even ran away once because she felt wronged.
But this time, she seemed different. She smiled more, but there was still a hint of disdain in her expression. Despite her own brother being there, she never acknowledged him, acting as if he wasnโt even in the room.
He sneered inwardly, โBetty says Zinnia just isnโt much of a talker, but now it seems less like shyness and more like rudeness.โ
โHah, Timothy, if you donโt want Zinnia, weโll take her in. If Bettyโs the only sister youโve got, then stay out of our way,โ Jackson said with a sneer. It seemed they didnโt think there was anything wrong with getting rid of Zinnia.
He added, โIf you canโt handle two girls, we can help out. Besides, Zinnia already thinks of us as family. You keep Betty, and weโll take Zinnia.โ
โBut Jackson-โ Timothy frowned. Their family could take care of them both and he thought they had never rejected Zinnia. In his eyes, it was ridiculous to consider the Lynn family took Zinnia in.
The cold look in Jacksonโs eyes felt like a slap. It was like he was calling out Timothy for being blind to the situation. Jacksonโs words were sharp, showing no mercy for Betty or Timothy. Before he could even get a word in, Jackson cut him off.
Timothyโs irritation was building. He hadnโt been sleeping well lately, thanks to a tough case that had kept him up for days. His nerves were on edge. Running into Zinnia and getting chewed out by Jackson only made things worse. He wished heโd never come out at all.
But Jackson held a lot of influence over the Shaw family, and none of them wanted to cross him. Timothy suppressed the mounting frustration and tried to quell the anxiety that was stirring inside him.
For a moment, neither Timothy nor Betty knew what to say.
Betty felt like every mocking glance around her was aimed at her, like everyone was looking down on her.
Jackson took Zinniaโs hand and led her toward the counter. โHi, Iโm here to pick up my order,โ he said.
The clerk had been thinking about sharing this juicy gossip with her friendโs after work, but she quickly composed herself and smiled politely, โSure, Mr. Lynn. Your custom piece is ready. Itโs right over hereโplease take a look.โ
She walked over to the jewelry display where Betty had been browsing earlier and showed the jewelry set.
โZinnia, do you like it? This is a welcome gift I prepared for you. I didnโt get the chance to give it to you earlier, so I thought Iโd make it up to you now,โ Jackson said as they approached.
He had ordered the jewelry in a rush the first time he met Zinnia, and it had finally arrived that day. He wanted to surprise her with something special.
Zinniaโs eyes widened as she looked at the gemstone in the glass case. Her fingers, which had been nervously gripping her cup, relaxed. โThank you, Jackson,โ she said softly, her lips curving into a smile.