Chapter 339

Zinnia slept until dawn. When she came downstairs, the living room was quiet. Nathan wasn’t there, nor could she see Jackson or the others.

Zinnia called out, “Nathan.” The moment she couldn’t see him, a wave of anxiety washed over her. She couldn’t help but worry about his health.

“Zinnia,” Yannis said as he stepped in from the courtyard, cradling a freshly cut bouquet of vibrant flowers. Their brilliant, lively colors were a perfect reflection of his own radiant presence.

“Yannis…” Seeing him, Zinnia felt her anxious heart settle slightly.

“Yannis, where’s Nathan?” Zinnia asked.

Yannis noticed the worry in her eyes and quickly assured her, “Nathan took Jackson out for a walk to look around. He was worried about leaving you alone, so he asked me to stay with you.”

Hearing that Nathan had gone out with Jackson, Zinnia felt slightly relieved, but then her worry about his condition resurfaced. “But Nathan’s health…”

Yannis said, “Nathan looks quite well today, and he’s got good energy, too. Besides, Jackson is a sensible person. If he sees that Nathan isn’t feeling well, he won’t make him walk if he’s not up to it.”

Yannis’s words put Zinnia at ease. He placed the flowers in the vase on the living room coffee table and then walked over to Zinnia. “What would you like to eat? I’ll cook it for you,” he said gently.

Zinnia said, “I’d like some noodles.”

“Alright, wait just a moment. I’ll make it for you,” Yannis said with a warm smile.

Yannis went into the kitchen, while Zinnia waited in the living room.

‘Where could Nathan and Jackson have gone?’ Zinnia wondered as she pulled out her phone.

Yannis poked his head out of the kitchen. “Oh, by the way, Zinnia, don’t forget to take the bag on the table.”

Following Yannis’s words, Zinnia was surprised to spot a bag on the table.

Zinnia reached for the bag and asked curiously, “What’s inside?”

The bag was stuffed to bursting, and through a gap she caught a glimpse of small boxes.

“Those presents are from James, Raymond, your grandparents, your parents, and your cousins,” Yannis replied from the kitchen.

“Presents!” Zinnia exclaimed as she opened the bag, and immediately a cascade of them tumbled out.

There was a pile of boxes of all sizes, most bulging so full that they resembled bricks.

Zinnia had never received so many presents before. She thought to herself, ‘This is just the limit of the number of presents, not the limit of the givers.’

James, Layla, Henry, Sofia, her three older cousins, and Raymond had all given her presents. As for her parents, Maelis and Donald, they did the same.

Since Zinnia couldn’t go back home, her family sent her presents. Still, nothing felt as festive as receiving real presents for Christmas.

Knowing that Yannis was coming over, they all prepared presents for him to bring to Zinnia.

Yannis called out from the kitchen, “They couldn’t make it themselves, so they asked me to bring the presents for you. It got pretty late last night, and I totally forgot to give them to you.”

“Wow, so many!” Zinnia scooped up the scattered presents and started opening them one by one. Some contained cash. Others held checks, and a few even had necklaces and bracelets.

Some even had gemstones gleaming with a bright sheen, a sight that brought instant delight.

Zinnia even found a property deed for a downtown apartment among the dozens of presents. Her eyes widened. When she tallied up all the presents, the total value easily reached tens of millions. For a moment, Zinnia felt as if she’d struck it rich overnight.

Just as Zinnia finished opening the presents, Yannis brought out steaming bowls of noodles, their delicious aroma drifting right to her nose.

Yannis watched Zinnia’s face light up with joy. “You look so happy with these,” he teased. She reminded him of a kitten who’d just gotten her favorite treat. If she had a tail, he was sure it would stick straight up.

Yannis glanced at the items Zinnia had placed on the coffee table. The most delightful were the small gemstones, followed by the property deed. Yannis recognized at a glance that it was from his grandfather, James.

The coffee table was piled high with gifts. As Yannis placed a bowl in front of her, Zinnia looked up at him, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. “Yannis, where’s your present for me?”

Yannis chuckled, “You’ve already gotten so many presents, and you still want one from me?”

Zinnia blinked playfully at Yannis. “Everyone else got me a good present. Don’t tell me you didn’t prepare one for me, Yannis?”

Yannis sat down beside her with a playful smile and teased, “Would you be disappointed if I said I didn’t have one?”

“Well, I don’t believe you didn’t prepare one for me,” Zinnia said with a pout. She was sure of it. Anyone else might forget, but not Yannis.

Even when he was away on business, Yannis would remember the delicious pastries Zinnia had casually mentioned and go out of his way to buy them for her.

When they lived together, no matter how busy Yannis was after work, he’d always come home at night with all kinds of little surprises.

Sometimes, it was a pretty hairpin, ice cream, a balloon, a cute doll, or delicious candy. And as for Christmas presents, Yannis would always prepare one for her.

“Zinnia, I’m afraid I’ll have to disappoint you this time,” Yannis said, meeting her expectant gaze with a small, apologetic smile. “I really didn’t have a present for you. I came over in such a rush, and I’ve just been so exhausted lately.”

Seeing Yannis’s reaction, Zinnia realized he really hadn’t prepared a present for her. For a brief moment, she felt a pang of disappointment, but it quickly faded.

She flashed a bright smile and said, “It’s okay. Having you here is the best Christmas present I could ask for!”

Yannis didn’t miss the fleeting disappointment in her eyes. He reached out and gently ruffled her hair. “Let me make it up to you later, okay? I promise you’ll love the present.”

Yannis thought to himself, ‘She’ll absolutely love that Christmas present. Jackson’s already tracking some leads and has people following up. It’ll just take a little more time.’

“Sure,” Zinnia responded absentmindedly, not picking up on the hidden meaning in his words. She gripped her fork and twirled a bite of noodles.

Zinnia thought, ‘It’s been ages since I’ve had Yannis’s cooking. I missed it so much. The sweet and sour broth mixed with the silky noodles is simply delicious.’

“Yannis, have you eaten yet?” Zinnia asked, twirling a forkful of noodles into her mouth. As if suddenly remembering something, she paused and turned to look at him.

Yannis nodded as he helped her sort through the presents. “I already ate,” he replied.

It was already past eight in the morning. Zinnia had stayed up late the night before and ended up sleeping in, a rare treat for her.

Seeing that he had already eaten, Zinnia focused on her noodles. “Nathan said I should take you and Jackson to the town center to see if we need anything. Since Jackson isn’t here, wanna go with me?”

Zinnia dabbed her mouth with a napkin, still remembering the errand Nathan had assigned her last night. Since Yannis and the others had just arrived and would likely be staying for several days, there were some essentials they’d need to pick up in town.

“Of course, Zinnia. I’d love to see what the small town where you grew up is like,” Yannis said warmly.

Yannis had always wanted to see the small town where Zinnia grew up. Now that he finally had the chance to go with her, he wouldn’t dream of refusing.

“Alright,” Zinnia said, “I’ll go upstairs to change, then we’ll head out. Yannis, could you get the electric scooter out of the storage shed?”