Chapter 310
โZinnia?โ Nathan pushed open the door and stepped inside. His face was pale, his handsome features marred by a clear frailty.
Despite the well-heated room, he was still bundled in a black turtleneck and a long overcoat.
Without the medicationโs effects masking his condition, Zinnia could now sense just how poor his health truly was.
His body was, in truth, far from healthy. He had been relying on medication to barely maintain the appearance of normalcy.
Now, without it, his weakness was unmistakable. A faint itch rose in his throat; he swallowed, and a hoarse cough escaped him.
Upon hearing his cough, Zinniaโs heart ached. She couldnโt help but hurry over to him. โAre you feeling worse again? Sit down, and let me check on you." Zinnia steadied him, worry clear in her bright eyes.
โItโs okay. Donโt worry. Iโm fine,โ Nathan reassured her. When he lowered his gaze and noticed the concern in her eyes, a faint smile touched his lips.
Seeing him still smiling, Zinnia snapped. Anger surged in her chest as she barked, โYouโre still smiling. Do you think Iโm not mad anymore?โ
Nathanโs smile faded as he saw the fuming girl. โIโm sorry. It was wrong,โ he apologized softly, staring at her eyes that were still tinged with red.
She had clearly been crying again. A stabbing pain shot through Nathanโs heart.
She wasnโt usually sensitive, even rather emotionally dense, yet because of him, she had wept time and again.
โI wonโt forgive you. If you donโt get better, Iโll never ever forgive you,โ Zinnia declared, glaring up at him, her eyes stubborn and brimming with unshed tears.
If Nathan hadnโt recovered, sheโd never forgive him, and she wouldnโt forgive herself.
Nathan froze for a moment, then gently ruffled her hair. โAlright,โ he conceded softly. After raising Zinnia for over a decade, Nathan knew her well.
โLet me check your pulse. I need to know your actual condition.โ Zinnia stared straight at Nathan, her eyes unwavering.
Even though Nathanโs weakness was now clearly visible, she still feared heโd find another way to hide the truth from her.
Having been deceived by Nathan twice already, she found it hard to trust him now. She was done with lies. This time, Zinnia refused to be deceived any longer.
โAlright.โ Nathan nodded softly.
โLetโs sit down, okay?โ Nathan reached for her hand and gently guided her toward the sofa. Zinnia didnโt resist.
As soon as they sat down, with Nathan right beside her, Zinnia immediately reached for his wrist, her hand trembling with urgency. She looked up at Nathan, her eyes welling up uncontrollably.
โAre you really going to wait until youโre dying before you finally tell me the truth about your condition?โ Zinnia raised her voice, the tremor in her words impossible to miss.
Even the hand at her side wouldnโt stop shaking.
That afternoon, Nathan had mentioned his condition to her. She knew his health was poor, but nothing could have prepared her for just how bad it truly was.
Heโd claimed he still had several months left, but in reality, that simply wasnโt true, three months at most.
His already failing health had only gotten worse. Just to spare her worry, heโd relied on medication to suppress his symptoms, causing irreversible damage and pushing his body past its limits.
His limited days were being burned away far too quickly. There was no way he had half a year left.
In the little time he had left, Nathan wanted to take Zinnia back to their small town. Heโd never truly believed he would find Florivive. He had already made peace with his impending death.
The only reason he kept searching was that he couldnโt let go of Zinnia. But now that he had someone trustworthy to look after her, Nathan found he could face death with quiet acceptance.
โZinnia, donโt worry. Thereโs still half a year. The worst has come yet,โ he said, his eyes crinkling as he spoke in a calm, reassuring tone.
To Nathan, death wasnโt truly frightening. His parents were waiting for him in heaven. Yet the thought of leaving Zinnia alone was the one thing Nathan couldnโt bear.
As Zinnia listened to his casual tone, it felt as though he had already accepted his fate.
Zinniaโs chest heaved violently with rage. โWhat do you mean by the worst? Is it when youโre bedridden and helpless, and all I can do is watch you die? Is that what you call the worst time?โ
โZinnia, calm down, okay?โ Seeing her agitation, both Nathan and Yannis grew alarmed.
โDonโt touch me. Iโm not dying,โ Zinnia snapped, pulling away from their hands.
She knew they were afraid she might break down. But no matter how heartbroken or devastated she felt, Zinnia refused to let herself fall apart.
Having already gone through the shock of discovering Nathanโs illness, she had started to prepare herself.
So now, faced with the reality of Nathanโs condition, it was still hard for her to accept. But with that groundwork laid, and after crying her heart out last time, she was more prepared now.
Zinniaโs words wrenched at both Nathanโs and Yannisโ hearts like twisting knives.
โZinnia, please donโt talk like that,โ Nathan pleaded, his voice rough with emotion. He couldnโt stand hearing her speak of death.