Zinnia lightly tapped Nathanโs fingers. โHey, it hurt when you poked me.โ
Nathanโs gaze turned serious. โStop overthinking things, Zinnia. Youโre the most important to me. I have no plans to marry anyone.โ
Upon hearing his words, Fiona lowered her gaze and clenched the cards in her hand a little more tightly.
Quinceyโs gaze lingered on her, and his lips pressed together.
โWow, looks like Zinniaโs got some tricks up her sleeve. She actually knows how to play,โ Fiona exclaimed in surprise as she watched Zinnia play her cards. She thought Zinnia didnโt look like a novice at all. When Zinnia was young, they had never taught her how to play these games.
Zinnia hesitated for a moment, then set down her cards and replied shyly, โWell, Yannis taught me.โ
โYannis?โ Fiona asked, puzzled. She hadnโt really kept up with what Zinnia had been through over the past six months.
โYes.โ Zinnia nodded, briefly mentioning a few things about Yannis.
โLooks like thereโs no shortage of people in Jinston who just love to spoil Zee,โ Fiona said with a knowing smile. She looked over at Nathan, wondering if he knew about what had happened between Zinnia and Yannis. Fiona knew Zinnia well enough to sense the trust and reliance in her voice when she spoke of Yannis. It was a trust that rivaled what she had for Nathan.
Nathanโs expression softened into a warm smile. Zinnia smiled back, but her card skills were mediocre. Halfway through the game, she got stuck and instinctively turned to Nathan for help.
Nathan pointed at a card and said, โPlay this one.โ His card skills were formidable. If he wanted to, he could anticipate every move on the table.
Noticing that Zinnia hesitated, Nathan lowered his gaze to her. โWhatโs wrong?โ he asked gently.
โNothing,โ Zinnia said, lowering her head. Thinking about cards brought back memories of when Yannis had taught her. Playing with him had always felt so effortless.
Zinnia thought to herself, โTodayโs Yannisโs birthday. The Perkins rรฉsidence must be so lively right now. As the birthday boy, heโs probably surrounded by people celebrating with him.โ
As she thought about it, Zinnia set down her cards, showing that sheโd won.
โWow, Zee is amazing!โ Quincey said. He took out a 100-dollar bill and handed it over to her.
โZee is so incredibly skilled at cards!โ Fiona also pulled out a 100-dollar bill and handed it over with a bright smile.
โThanks, you guys totally let me win easily,โ Zinnia said with a sheepish smile, glancing at the bills they handed her. Her skills are honestly trash. If it werenโt for Nathan backing her up and the others going easy on her, she couldnโt have won this easily.
โWell, Zinnia, you won this fair and square. Here, take it and buy yourself some treats this afternoon,โ Nathan said as he gathered up the two hundred-dollar bills and tucked them into her little purse.
โAbsolutely, Zee is a natural at this!โ Fiona chimed in with a warm smile, and the others nodded in agreement.
โCome on. Letโs keep going!โ Quincey said, gathering up the cards and reshuffling them.
Nathan glanced at the time. It was getting late. He stood up and said, โYou guys keep playing. Iโll go get lunch started.โ
Chapter 329
โKeep the money you win, and Iโll pay for your loss,โ Nathan said, gently ruffling Zinniaโs hair. His voice was slightly hoarse, yet it was threatening.
Watching him leave, Zinnia stared at Nathanโs retreating figure and pressed her lips together. She couldnโt shake the feeling that Nathanโs body had become even weaker.
Zinnia glanced toward Quincey, who gave her a subtle shake of his head. She thought Quincey must have known about Nathanโs health all along. In fact, if he hadnโt helped Nathan keep it a secret, she would have found out much sooner.
Fionaโs gaze lingered on Nathanโs figure as he disappeared into the living room. Since her return, sheโd sensed something was off between Zinnia and Nathan.
Fiona said with concern, โZinnia, I couldnโt help but notice. Has Nathan lost quite a bit of weight lately?โ Her eyes fell on Zinnia. After all, sheโd grown up with Zinnia and Nathan, and while she couldnโt claim to know everything about the changes between them, she understood at least half. This Christmas, Zinnia was far from her usual joyful self. Instead, she seemed weighed down by worries.
Nathan had changed noticeably as well. His care for Zinnia was attentive to every detail. It was not that heโd cared less before, but now his concern was even more meticulous than in previous years. His words were gentle yet laden with concern, each sentence carrying heartfelt advice. It was as if he feared Zinnia would be at a loss when he was no longer by her side one day.
Fionaโs sudden question caught Zinnia off guard. A flicker of panic flashed through her eyes.
Zinnia lowered her head, fiddling nervously with the cards. โWell, maybe heโs just exhausted from looking after me. You know how it is. When a kidโs in 12th grade, both the kid and the parents are wiped out. And you know Iโm lazy, useless, and dumb. Nathan worries about me every day, so he probably lost weight from all the stress.โ
Nathan had warned Zinnia not to let too many people know about his condition. Since he wanted to keep it a secret, Zinnia and the others could only play along with the cover-up. With Fionaโs ten-day holiday, they just needed to keep it under wraps.
Fiona turned back to Quincey and asked casually, โSo, what have you and Nathan been busy with lately?โ She wasnโt quite sure what the two of them did for a living, but she knew Quincey worked closely with Nathan.
Maintaining a lot calmer than Zinnia, Quincey explained, โItโs just work. Weโve been swamped lately, and as a key player, Nathanโs been burning midnight oil every day. Heโs really worn himself out.โ
Fionaโs brows knitted as she listened. She felt they were clearly keeping something from her, and a subtle unease stirred in her heart. But in the adult world, one should know better than to pry too deep, especially since Nathan detests anyone invading his privacy. If they kept it from her, it must have been because Nathan had given explicit instructions.
Fiona pursed her rosy lips and grinned at Zinnia. โCome on, Zinnia. Have you sorted out your cards? Letโs get started. Now that Nathanโs not around, you better guard those bills well.โ
Not wanting to linger on the topic, Quincey quickly said, โAll set. Fiona, your turn. Play!โ
Zinnia didnโt want to linger on this topic, either. โA few more questions and Iโll slip up,โ she thought nervously.
This round, Fiona took the dealerโs role, while Zinnia and Quincey teamed up against her.
Fiona stared at the cards in her hand, but her mind was clearly elsewhere. Distracted, she played without thinking, and unsurprisingly, she lost the round.
Chapter 329
Quincey watched Fionaโs haphazard card play. Normally, she was the most meticulous person, yet when it came to Nathan, she would beโฆ
None of them were in the mood to keep playing, so they set down their cards. Quincey stood up and said, โYou two take a break. Iโll go help Nathan in the kitchen.โ
โZinnia, Iโm going to the restroom,โ Fiona said, standing up from her seat.
Zinnia slumped in her seat with a sigh. โWhat a mess. Why does everything keep getting more complicated?โ she thought, unable to shake the guilt of keeping this from Fiona.
Quincey entered the kitchen and said softly, โNathan.โ He found Nathan leaning against the wall with his eyes closed, his body wracked with coughs. Nathan was clutching a handkerchief, which was ominously stained with dark traces of blood.