Chapter 297
โYannis, make yourself at home, and donโt be shy,โ Nathan said, his voice warm and mellow, as he placed the cookies between the two youngsters.
โGot it,โ Yannis replied, his eyes crinkling into a gentle smile. He gazed at the tray of cute little cookies. Each cookie was made with care, all in Zinniaโs favorite shapes.
โSit down. Iโll check your pulse,โ Zinnia said. She set aside the cookies, eager to find out how Nathan was really doing.
Nathan sat down beside her and extended his wrist. Zinnia placed her fingers on his pulse point.
The living room fell so quiet one could hear a pin drop. Zinnia knitted her brows. Yannis shot a glance at Nathan. Nathan gave a slight shake of his head, signaling Yannis to stay calm.
โMaster, I canโt shake the feeling that somethingโs off with your body,โ Zinnia murmured. โNow that I can finally feel your pulse, it just seems like you have a bit of pneumonia.โ
Zinnia focused intently, her fingers lingering on Nathanโs wrist as she carefully assessed every nuance of his pulse. Overall, there were no major issues, just persistent pneumonia.
Yannisโs eyes flickered as he listened to Zinniaโs diagnosis. โNathanโs condition is so critical, yet all she could detect was pneumonia. Just how transcendent are Nathanโs medical skills?โ he thought to himself.
โLet me check your other hand,โ Zinnia said, frowning. โSomething still feels off,โ she thought.
Nathan hesitated for a split second but still extended his hand. Zinnia had barely placed her fingers on his wrist for a few seconds, and Nathan said, โSee? Iโm fine, Zinnia. The little buns I baked are ready. Iโll go get them.โ
Nathan withdrew his hand, stood up, and headed out. Zinnia withdrew her hand, unconsciously rubbing her fingertips together. She seemed lost in thought, pondering the pulse sheโd just taken.
Yannis subtly observed Zinniaโs expression. โWhatโs wrong? Did you notice anything off?โ
โNothing.โ Zinnia shook her head. โI just did a quick check and didnโt find anything unusual,โ she thought. She felt a small wave of relief wash over her.
โDonโt worry, Master isnโt in any real danger. As long as he rests and recovers, heโll be just fine,โ Zinnia reassured.
After thoroughly checking Nathanโs condition, Zinnia felt a huge weight lift from her chest. The worry clouding her face all afternoon finally melted into a relieved smile.
Yannis gazed at her smiling face, but his heart grew heavier by the second. At that moment, he finally understood why she once said, โI wonโt outlive you.โ
Back then, he thought she was just joking, but now the realization struck him like a boomerang, painful and delayed.
It was no wonder she always seemed so carefree, only focused on eating well and enjoying life. Nothing else ever entered her consideration.
Because she never believed she had a future. Her tomorrows could be cut short at any moment. By not making plans, she spared herself disappointment.
She lived each day as if it were her last so that whenever something happened, she would have no regrets.
Learning what Zinnia had been through, Yannis felt a constricting ache in his chest. They were each otherโs only anchor in life, wholly dependent on one another for support.
If anything happened to either of them, it would be a devastating blow to the other. Their lives had been plagued by misfortune from beginning to end. Even outsiders couldnโt help but ache for them.
โZinnia, Iโm going to make a call,โ Yannis said. He stood up and walked toward the floor-to-ceiling window.
โWhatโs up, Yannis?โ Devinโs deep, pleasant voice came through the phone.
โDevin, I need a favorโฆโ Yannis said.
โOf course. Donโt worry. Iโll have someone keep an eye out.โ It was rare for Yannis to ask for help, so Devin readily agreed.
โYannis, whatโs wrong? You seem upset,โ Zinnia asked between bites of her strawberry bear-shaped cookie, watching him return.
She recalled how troubled he had looked when she left the living room earlier. Her eyes now reflected genuine concern.
โItโs nothing, just some work stuff,โ Yannis replied, smoothing away the complicated emotions in his eyes with a faint smile. Outwardly, he looked as calm as ever, as if nothing were amiss.
Zinnia asked, โDid you have another round of banter with James?โ
Even though things had settled down between father and son, James still couldnโt resist trading a few barbs with Yannis from time to time.
Yannis said, โNo, heโs quietly enjoying his retirement at home. I heard you guys are going back to Tareston for a while?โ
โYeah, itโs been over half a year since we left. Gotta go back and have a look.โ Zinnia nodded. Before she knew it, sheโd already spent over half a year in Jinston.
โYannis, can you believe how fast time flies? Weโve already known each other for almost six months now,โ Zinnia exclaimed. She marveled at how quickly time had passed.
โExactly 158 days,โ Yannis replied with a nod. He realized, almost in surprise, how long theyโd already known each other. So much happened over the past six months. They first met on August 27th.
โDonโt worry. Iโll be back for your birthday,โ Zinnia assured him. Her eyes crinkled into a smile as something crossed her mind.
โOkay,โ Yannis replied. His birthday was just eighteen days away. โSo, have you got my birthday present ready yet?โ Seeing that she still remembered his birthday, his smile deepened.
Zinnia looked at his smiling face, managed a small smile herself, but shook her head. โNot yet.โ
โI thought Iโd be getting my present pretty soon,โ Yannis teased. He chuckled, clearly not disappointed.
โYouโre getting ahead of yourself,โ Zinnia retorted playfully.
โBut youโll get me a gift, wonโt you?โ Yannis asked, his long, beautiful eyes filled with a gentle smile.
โYouโre so sure Iโll prepare one for you? What if I donโt?โ Zinnia replied playfully. Seeing how confident he was that sheโd get him a present, Zinnia curved her eyes into crescents. โWhy is he so sure about me?โ she wondered.
โItโs okay if you didnโt prepare anything. Having you back before my birthday is the best present I could ask for,โ Yannis smiled.
โYouโre that easy to please?โ Zinnia asked in surprise. She had thought he would insist on a real gift.
โYes. Just seeing you is a gift to me,โ Yannis said softly, his eyes warm. He had never really expected Zinnia to prepare a gift for him.
He didnโt care much about gifts, but just the thought that she might get him something sparked a faint sense of anticipation in his heart. Still, even if she didnโt, Yannis wouldnโt be too disappointed.
Zinnia and Nathan were returning to the small town. With the year-end busy season approaching, Yannis was swamped with work and couldnโt get away with them.
Moreover, he had to deal with the underground forces lurking in the shadows. Yannis insisted on handling this personally; he couldnโt trust anyone else with such a critical task.
They had to capture that group as quickly as possible. Recently, they had leaked news of Zinniaโs upcoming trip, and those people had already left to lie in wait along the route she would take from Jinston.
Knowing about Zinniaโs health condition, Yannis was on high alert. He absolutely couldnโt let her fall into danger this time.
They had to minimize every possible risk.
Once everything was resolved and those people were dealt with, only then could Nathan and Zinnia return to the small town. The thought of not seeing her for so long made Yannis's heart ache with longing. "What would you like to eat tonight? Iโll cook for you,โ Nathan made sure to ease.