โZinnia, all packed? Weโre about to head out,โ Nathan called. Three days after Zinniaโs return, Nathan and the others decided to head back home.
โAll set, coming,โ Zinnia called out. She wheeled her small suitcase behind her, decorated with a pink cartoon figure. โMaster, letโs go.โ
It would take over ten hours by car to get from Jinston back to the small town, so they were preparing for the long journey. Yannis had already arranged a car for them and would have someone escort them safely all the way home.
Nathan saw her. Zinnia was wearing a fitted white down jacket paired with black flared pants. Her soft hair was styled in a top bun, pinned with a pretty pink bow.
She was radiant and utterly charming. Perhaps it was the excitement of finally heading home, but Zinniaโs face was simply beaming with joy.
โCome here. Let me fix your bow. Itโs a little crooked,โ Nathan said, a gentle smile playing at the corners of his lips.
โIs it crooked?โ Zinnia tiptoed over to him with quick little steps.
โJust a bit,โ Nathan said, gently removing the bow from her hair and clipping it back straight.
โThere, all fixed.โ Nathan gave her bun a gentle squeeze and chuckled.
โLetโs go then. Lucas and the others will be thrilled to see us back,โ Zinnia said, tugging eagerly at Nathanโs sleeve.
โScared?โ Nathan asked softly, taking her suitcase and looking down at her. He was referring to the underground syndicate they were about to confront. After all this time on guard, it was finally time to flush them out.
โIโm not afraid. I know Master will protect me,โ Zinnia said, shaking her head firmly. She wasnโt scared at all. Not since the moment she learned they were targeting her had she ever felt a shred of fear.
โI will always protect Zinnia,โ Nathan said tenderly. His eyes softened with affection.
Zinnia and Nathan walked out together, taking the elevator straight down to the underground parking garage. In the underground parking garage, Yannis had arranged for an unassuming car to be waiting for them.
โZinnia!โ Maisie exclaimed as she spotted them coming and quickly stepped out of the car.
โMaisie!โ Zinnia called back joyfully, bounding toward her with eager little steps.
โMaisie, this is my Master,โ Zinnia introduced.
Maisieโs eyes shone with barely concealed anticipation as she looked at Nathan. โSo, this is Zinniaโs Master,โ she thought. โShe said heโs even more handsome than Jackson. I wonder if Iโll get to see what he really looks like.โ
โHello, Iโm Zinniaโs master, Nathan.โ Noticing her expectant gaze, Nathan removed his mask, a faint smile playing at his lips.
When Maisie saw Nathanโs face, her eyes widened in shock. She thought, โHe is so handsome.โ
โHโhโhiโฆ Iโm Zinniaโs sister, Maisie. Wโwโwhat should I call you?โ Maisie stammered. For a moment, she was completely tongue-tied, wanting to greet him but totally lost on what to say.
Nathan was Zinniaโs Master, and Zinnia was officially part of the Jenkins family. Maisie and Zinnia were sisters.
โJust call me Nathan.โ Nathan was gentle, his faint smile radiating a quiet warmth that put people at ease.
โOโokay. Nathan,โ Maisie stammered. She nodded rapidly, her cheeks tinged with pink.
Maisie had only learned about Nathanโs return the night before. His identity had been kept secret from her all this time.
At that moment, to lure out the underground syndicate, they spread the news that Maisie and Zinnia would be heading to the Gloriam resort together. If Zinnia went alone, the syndicate would surely get suspicious.
When Maisie was told about the plan, she agreed without a second thought. โProtecting my little sister? I have to do it myself,โ Maisie thought firmly.
Since Maisie was to protect Zinnia, it was only natural they brief her about Nathan as well.
โMs. Zinnia Shaw, Mr. Moore and Mr. Perkins instructed us to escort you all the way home. Heโll meet you at your next rest stop this evening,โ Emily said as he stepped forward to help with their luggage.
โThank you,โ Nathan said, his voice carrying a quiet elegance. He had already slipped his mask back on.
The black baseball cap was pulled low over his soft hair, shadowing his cool, distant eyes and leaving only a glimpse of skin visible.
Dressed in a simple gray suit, he looked exactly like a high-class butler. Whenever he wished, Nathan could mimic anyone flawlessly.
Zinnia blinked in surprise. โWait, Yannis is coming with us?โ She honestly hadnโt expected him to tag along.
Emily said, โAccording to Mr. Perkinsโ latest intel, the underground syndicate is likely to ambush us at the rest stop.โ
Nathan would follow them, disguised as their accompanying butler. โLetโs get in the car.โ
They all got in the car. As usual, Stephen and Emily took the front passenger seat. Nathan, Zinnia, and the others sat in the back. The car pulled out and drove away.
Perhaps because Nathan was in the car, Maisie barely said a word. She just clung to Zinniaโs arm, the two exchanging excited whispers. She was still overwhelmed by Nathanโs breathtaking face and couldnโt recover for a while.
โHonestly,โ Maisie thought, โeven though Zinnia told me before that Nathan and Yannis were just as handsome as my cousin Jackson, I just couldnโt picture it. Jackson is already devilishly handsome.
โBut now that Iโve seen Nathan in person, oh my gosh, I wanted to scream my lungs out. Seriously, I didnโt even know people this ridiculously good-looking existed.
โNo wonder Zinnia canโt stop thinking about her Master. If I had a master this gorgeous, Iโd want to stare at him all day, every single day. What an absolute feast for the eyes.
โEven though Nathanโs all covered up now, just thinking about that brief glimpse I caught earlier makes me sigh.โ
โYou girls can talk freely, donโt mind me,โ Nathan said, watching their little exchanges out of the corner of his eye with a wry smile.
โYeah.โ As soon as Nathan spoke, Maisie instinctively let out a sheepish little laugh in response.
But even after her reply, the car remained quiet. Maisie would rather text Zinnia than actually speak up.
Zinnia looked at Maisie with concern in her eyes as she noticed Maisie leaning on her shoulder and yawning twice. โMaisie, didnโt you get enough sleep?โ she asked gently.
โI got too excited last night and stayed up late,โ Maisie giggled. At Zinniaโs mention of last night, a soft blush crept across Maisieโs cheeks. Sheโd secretly called Charlie after everyone was asleep.
โWhat?โ Zinnia looked over, noticing how Maisieโs cheeks flushed pink and her eyes lit up. She couldnโt help but feel curious.
โZinnia, Iโll fill you in when I succeed,โ Maisie said with a cheeky grin. At that moment, things werenโt settled yet. Sheโd wait until everything worked out before sharing the good news with Zinnia.
โSure thing,โ Zinnia said. She could see Maisie was practically glowing with happiness. Even though she had no idea what had her so excited, she couldnโt help but share in her joy.
Little did they know, the wait for that shared secret would stretch far longer than they ever imagined.