Chapter 54

Howard couldn’t figure out why Zinnia had started to occupy his thoughts. Maybe it was the way she sat there quietly, listening to their plans to send her away, her calm and steady gaze making him feel inexplicably uneasy.

Or maybe it was the time she fainted in his arms, her pale face showing a vulnerability he hadn’t noticed before. It hit him that she wasn’t just some girl; she was his sister, someone who needed to be cared for.

Or perhaps it was the way she stopped talking to him, her cold demeanor leaving him feeling unsettled. Or maybe it was her indifference, the way she ignored them completely, her coldness making him feel uncomfortable, like they were being treated unfairly.

Whatever the reason, Howard knew he didn’t want Zinnia to treat him like this. He thought, ‘She is clearly angry. I owe her an apology. Maybe if I apologized, she’d stop being so distant. Maybe she’d smile at me again.’

Howard called out, “Zinnia.” His voice was hesitant as he looked at her. Her silence made him feel like he was standing on shaky ground.

“I don’t need your apology,” Zinnia replied, her tone flat and her expression unchanged.

Howard’s hand slowly dropped to his side. He said, “Zinnia, you haven’t forgiven me, have you?” His voice carried a hint of sadness.

Zinnia replied, “Who says I have to forgive you just because you apologized?” Her voice was calm, but her words were sharp. She couldn’t understand why Howard looked so defeated. She thought, ‘Does he think an apology is all it took?’

Howard fell silent.

“Zinnia,” a voice called out from behind them.

Zinnia turned her head. Upon seeing the person, her eyes sparkled with joy. She called out, “Charlie!” She stepped past Howard and hurried toward Charlie. He had been busy lately, and she hadn’t seen him for several days.

Charlie pulled his hand from behind his back, revealing a white teddy bear. He said, “I broke my promise, so here’s something to make it up to you.”

He had promised to spend time with Zinnia until school started, but a call from his teacher had pulled him away the very next morning, leaving him no chance to keep his word.

“Thank you, Charlie,” Zinnia said softly. She hugged the teddy bear tightly. It was soft and adorable, and she rubbed her cheek against it.

Charlie said, “No need to be so formal with me.” He ruffled her hair lightly. His face softened with a gentle smile as he watched her, his heart filled with warmth.

“Charlie, you’re back!” Isaac’s cheerful voice rang out, accompanied by the sound of quick footsteps thudding down the stairs.

“Charlie’s back. Let’s get dinner ready,” Sofia said, appearing seemingly out of nowhere. Her gaze shifted between her grandsons and Zinnia, her smile warm and full of affection.

Howard stood outside the garden, watching the lively scene inside. The laughter and warmth felt like a world apart, and Zinnia fit right in, as if she truly belonged there. Seeing this scene, a pang of regret gnawed at Howard’s heart.

Noticing Howard standing outside with a heavy expression, Sofia called out, “Howard, dinner’s ready.” She sighed inwardly, ‘Regret won’t change anything now. It’s too late. They’ve already hurt Zinnia deeply.’

“Charlie, are you leaving again?” Zinnia asked, her voice light and cheerful as she sat surrounded by the Lynn brothers. Jackson couldn’t make it today because of work.

“Not anymore. I’ve transferred to the hospital, so I can come back every day to spend time with you,” Charlie said warmly. He carefully deboned a piece of fish before placing it into Zinnia’s bowl.

Charlie had already applied to transfer his work to the hospital. However, if the lab required his expertise in the future, he would still return to assist.

Isaac added a slice of pork to her bowl and said, “Zinnia, you have to try this. It’s so good.”

“Mmm, so good!” Zinnia took a big bite and exclaimed, “It is good.” Her cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk, and her eyes sparkled with pure joy. She thought, ‘Meat is the best thing in the world.’

Howard sat across from Zinnia, watching as the Lynn brothers doted on her. Zinnia looked so relaxed, savoring every bite, a stark contrast to her usual demeanor at the Shaw residence. At the Shaw family’s table, Zinnia mostly ate plain rice, barely touching the dishes.

Howard looked at the table, noticing the vibrant dishes. The dishes were a colorful, flavorful spread, rich with oil and seasoning.

Such dishes were unheard of by the Shaw family. The Shaws preferred bland, light flavors. Heavy oil and seasoning were practically taboo. Howard noticed that Zinnia hadn’t touched the vegetable dishes at all.

Charlie placed some vegetables into Zinnia’s bowl, but she wrinkled her nose in disdain before reluctantly eating them. She never helped herself to vegetables, instead, she enjoyed meat dishes.

Howard thought, ‘Was she eating only rice at home because there were no dishes she liked? Is that why she’s so thin?!’

Howard usually didn’t pay much attention to Zinnia at home. But during meals, they couldn’t avoid seeing each other. When everyone else was picking up dishes, Zinnia alone would just hold onto her bowl of rice and eat. It was hard not to notice her.

The Shaws thought she was just shy and even found her behavior annoying. They thought, ‘Why act like that while eating? It was as if she thought we would bully her.’ But they never considered that she simply didn’t like the food at home.

This realization hit Howard hard. He thought, ‘We never tried to understand her.’ His heart sank under the weight of regret.

Howard picked up a shrimp and started to peel it. The greasy texture felt strange and uncomfortable in his hands. It was his first time peeling shrimp, and his lack of experience showed.

He fumbled with the shell, tearing it in all the wrong places and leaving the shrimp looking like it had been through a war zone.

He stood slightly and reached out toward Zinnia. Just as he extended his hand, it bumped into another. He looked up and found himself locking eyes with Charlie.

Isaac teased, “Howard, peeling shrimp for Zinnia now? Didn’t you say you didn’t like her? What’s this, a change of heart?”

Howard said nothing.

Zinnia glanced up, her expression puzzled.

Howard looked down at the sorry excuse for a peeled shrimp in his hand, then at the perfectly peeled one in Charlie’s hand. The comparison was brutal.

Mentally kicking himself, Howard quickly changed tactics, shifting his hand away and dipping the shrimp into the sauce in front of Zinnia. “No, I just thought it needed more flavor,” Howard said, stuffing the shrimp into his mouth.

The taste was so bad it felt like his tongue was staging a protest. He wanted to spit it out, but had no choice but to swallow under the watchful eyes of the Lynn family.

He chewed twice, each bite feeling like a punishment, before forcing it down with a gulp of his drink.

Howard’s action left the table in stunned silence. They thought, ‘More flavor added on the garlic butter shrimp? That is a first.’

The Lynn brothers exchanged glances, their expressions unreadable. Sofia, however, shot Isaac a warning glare, but he just shrugged with a grin, clearly enjoying Howard’s discomfort.

Chapter 55