Chapter 330

“Nathan, you mustn’t overexert yourself anymore,” Quincey said. His worry deepened as he noticed Nathan’s pale lips.

Given Nathan’s current condition, he should focus on rest and avoid exertion. Staying in Jinston would be best for his health, as the city’s excellent medical facilities could provide immediate care in case of any emergency.

But he couldn’t bear to stay idle or waste precious time recuperating in Jinston. So he brought Zinnia back with him, practically giving up on his own health, just to cherish every last precious moment he could spend with her.

“Don’t worry. It’s manageable,” Nathan said, massaging his throbbing temples. His voice was hoarse, and his breathing slightly labored.

His chest tightened with each breath, and sharp pain pulsed through him. He swallowed hard, gripping the countertop even tighter as he fought the heavy ache.

“You’re not feeling well again,” Quincey said. He was exasperated by Nathan’s neglect of his health.

Nathan shut his eyes, his throat burning. He didn’t want to speak.

Quincey glared at Nathan. “Manageable? It means the pain keeps getting worse. You’re in so much agony that you can’t even speak. Nathan, do you ever care about your own health? Or are you only satisfied when you work yourself to death?”

Quincey couldn’t help but feel frustrated and angry as he watched Nathan, who was clearly in pain, yet maintaining that calm facade.

No matter how dire the situation, even with his life hanging in the balance, Nathan remained utterly unflappable, never showing the slightest trace of fear.

“Keep it down,” Nathan rasped, the words barely escaping his throat. Each syllable seemed to drain what little strength he had left.

Nathan couldn’t help looking toward the yard. Seeing Zinnia sitting safe and sound outside, he managed a shallow breath of relief.

“Zinnia’s still young. She’ll get scared and start crying,” Nathan whispered, and he looked so fragile that he might vanish at any moment.

Quincey let out a helpless sigh. “You’ve always had that calm face since you were a kid. Honestly, I suspect nothing in this world could scare you.”

In his over twenty years of life, Nathan had feared almost nothing, except for Zinnia, his one and only Achilles’ heel.

“How could anyone not be afraid of something,” Nathan murmured, his voice barely a whisper.

He added, “Zinnia is coming of age this year. With her beauty, there’ll be no shortage of suitors. If you want to keep protecting her, you really need to focus on regaining your health.”

Quincey gripped Nathan’s shoulder. “If you don’t start looking after yourself, aren’t you worried Zinnia will be even more heartbroken later?”

Nathan lowered his gaze, saying nothing. He knew things weren’t even at their worst yet, and Zinnia had already cried more than once.

He feared almost nothing. He’d even come to terms with his impending death. But he couldn’t bear to see Zinnia cry or be unhappy.

“Nathan,” Quincey said in a deep voice. “No matter what, I’ll scour the ends of the earth to find Florivive for you.”

Nathan managed a faint, almost weary smile. “I appreciate it.”

Quincey looked at him and asked, “Should we tell Fiona about your condition? I think she might have already noticed something’s off.”

Nathan said quietly, “Let’s not trouble her with this.” His meaning was clear. He didn’t want to talk about it anymore.

“Nathan, about Fiona…” Quincey trailed off. His expression hardened as he noticed the chill in Nathan’s eyes.

Given how smart Nathan was, there was no way that he didn’t sense Fiona’s feelings. He remained silent, just as Fiona did, because if they ever brought it up, their relationship would never be the same.

Fiona was fiercely proud. If she ever left, Zinnia would be heartbroken.

For the past few years, Fiona had spent a lot of time in Gernmiland. She knew a romance with Nathan just wasn’t in the cards.

Over the years, the two only met a handful of times on Zinnia’s birthday, Nathan’s birthday, and during Christmas. Beyond those occasions, they barely interacted.

Beyond the obligatory holiday greetings exchanged over text, Nathan rarely interacted with Fiona. Even when their conversations ran a bit longer, it was always about Zinnia.

Fiona had always known her boundaries. She had been friends with Nathan for many years, and she had never overstepped or made inappropriate moves. That was why Nathan didn’t dwell on it. Their relationship was purely platonic.

Nathan looked up at Quincey, his gaze cool and detached. “You know I have no other intentions.”

He and Fiona could never be more than friends. Their relationship was firmly set. Getting married and starting a family had never been part of Nathan’s plans. In fact, he’d never even given it a thought.

As for Quincey and Fiona, Nathan could only stay out of it. Matters of the heart were never something anyone could truly understand.

Quincey could tell from Nathan’s expression that he was telling the truth.

“Nathan, have you ever thought about the fact that Zinnia is growing up every day? She won’t always be by your side. One day, she won’t need you anymore. Haven’t you considered your own life?” Quincey sighed.

Honestly speaking, Quincey wasn’t too keen on Nathan being so emotionally invested in Zinnia.

Quincey thought, ‘Now that his health is failing, he’s already making all the arrangements for Zinnia’s future. But what if he recovers in the end? By then, he would have already handed her over to someone else. He’d regret it bitterly.’

When it came to Zinnia, Nathan always did everything to pave the way for her future, wanting her path to be smooth. Yet, he never considered leaving himself an escape route.

Sometimes, Quincey just wished Nathan would be a little more selfish and actually look after himself for once.

To Nathan, Zinnia was truly one of a kind and utterly irreplaceable! Perhaps even he himself couldn’t quite put a name to what he really felt for her.

Nathan pressed his lips into a thin line. “I’ve never really thought about it. As long as I’m alive, Zinnia is my priority. If the day comes when she doesn’t need me anymore, I’ll quietly step out of her life.”

For a rare moment, uncertainty surfaced in Nathan’s eyes as he thought about a life without Zinnia.

Honestly, Nathan had never even considered being apart from Zinnia, not before his health declined, at least.

He would be there for her SATs and stay by her side through university. Even after she graduated, he’d still worry about her future career. In all his plans, Zinnia had never once been absent.

Ever since his health declined, what concerned Nathan most was what would happen to Zinnia if he wasn’t there.

Just the thought of it consumed Nathan with worry. He was terrified he might have overlooked something.

However, he had to admit he’d never thought about the day Zinnia might not need him anymore or would leave to live her own life. The idea made his chest feel tight.

Quincey asked, “Nathan, are you really willing to let Yannis have Zinnia? Have you ever thought about what you truly feel for her?”