Chapter 65

“Mom, I know you’ll take good care of Zinnia. What I said before was just angry words in the heat of the moment,” said Maelis.

Maelis knew Sofia had always been deeply caring toward children. Therefore, knowing Zinnia was staying at the Lynn residence eased her worries, though she still missed her terribly.

Not having Zinnia at home meant she couldn’t see her every day, but the idea of sending Betty away was something Donald would never agree to.

“Do you even realize how much harm your angry words can cause to a child?” Sofia’s disappointment was evident.

Zinnia stood quietly, listening to their conversation. She didn’t say a word even as Sofia defended her fiercely. Deep down, she knew the Shaw family would never give up on Betty.

“Grandma, don’t worry about me. I like living with you,” Zinnia said softly, gently placing her hand on Sofia’s.

She didn’t want Sofia to strain her relationship with Maelis because of her. After all, Zinnia wouldn’t stay forever, and it wasn’t worth causing trouble between them.

“Zinnia, don’t worry. As long as I’m alive, I won’t let anyone bully you, not even a little,” Sofia reassured her, holding her hand gently.

“Since you can’t make a decision and won’t accept mine, then leave. Don’t come back unless it’s something important,” Sofia said coldly as she glared at Maelis and Timothy.

What she meant was that, except for holidays, they were no longer welcome here. She had made her disappointment with them very clear.

“Mom, please don’t make this harder for me. If it were you, what decision would you make?” Maelis’s eyes reddened as she looked up at Sofia, whose expression had darkened.

“I’d stand with Zinnia without a second thought,” Sofia said firmly. She had always been a decisive woman, and that hadn’t changed one bit.

Maelis’ heart sank. She thought, “How could Mom make it sound so simple? She barely knows Zinnia, yet she’s more certain than I am. Why can’t I be that resolute?”

Maelis’ gaze shifted to Zinnia, who was sitting close to Sofia. Zinnia’s eyes were full of concern for Sofia, but when it came to her, she barely spared her a glance.

Then she thought about Betty, who would cling to her, act spoiled, and say sweet things to make her smile. She was the complete opposite of Zinnia.

Guilt hit Maelis like a punch to the gut, leaving her struggling to breathe. She came here to have a heartfelt conversation with Zinnia, yet it didn’t end well.

She didn’t know why Sofia kept forcing her to make a decision.

Sofia said, “Maelis, your dad and I have spoiled you too much, and the Shaw kids never made you worry. You’ve never faced any hardships, which is why you’re so indecisive. I feel sorry about that, but I won’t let you hurt Zinnia again.

“Zinnia’s life has been hard enough. She spent over a decade in a small town with no parents to care for her. And now that she’s back, all your attention is on Betty. When have you ever truly cared about Zinnia?”

“If you’d spent even a tenth of the time you gave Betty caring for Zinnia, I wouldn’t be this disappointed. Since you don’t accept her, I will. Just go home and focus on Betty.

“Zinnia deserves all the love you’ve failed to give her, and we can provide that. If you want those posts all over the online forum down, you’d better give me an answer quickly. Who’s it going to be–Zinnia or Betty?”

Sofia’s tone was decisive, leaving no room for hesitation. She knew Maelis came with the intention of taking down the posts on the online forum.

Sofia hadn’t been aware of the posts until today, but once she found out, only one thought came to her mind–Betty was a big trouble and couldn’t stay in the family. That girl was far from simple.

She was getting older and couldn’t protect Zinnia forever. It was time for her to make plans for Zinnia’s future. She thought if the Shaw family proved unreliable, the Lynn family would step in to shield Zinnia.

Her words just now weren’t just a statement. It was a test. If Maelis couldn’t make a decision, it would only show that, deep down, she still favored Betty.

In that case, if Zinnia went back to the Shaw residence, she would be the only one to suffer.

Sofia’s love for Zinnia was heartfelt. Zinnia might not talk much, but her kindness and thoughtfulness were evident in the little things she did.

She knew Henry often had headaches, so she always found time to give him a massage. She even taught Raymond those techniques so he could do it for Henry when she wasn’t around.

She knew Sofia liked tea and personally picked out the best kinds for her. She even tailored a healthy meal plan just for her. When she noticed Jackson wasn’t sleeping well, she gave him a sleep aid the very next day.

Sofia had kept all this in her mind.

It might seem like they were the ones taking care of Zinnia, but in truth, Zinnia never caused them any trouble. She was so considerate as if afraid of being a burden, and she never asked for anything.

Whenever they gave her something, she would always return the gesture with a thoughtful gift the next day.

Sofia thought, “What a wonderful child! Yet the Shaw family doesn’t appreciate her. All they see is her quiet demeanor, mistaking it for a lack of charm or the ability to please others.

“Yes, Betty knows how to sweet-talk her way into getting what she wants, but it’s always money, bags, or jewelry. Besides, Zinnia isn’t naturally quiet; she’d been hurt so deeply that she didn’t even want to speak to them anymore.

“When she’s with the Lynn brothers, she is soft-spoken and adorable. I always wish I could spend more time with her.”

Sofia thought Zinnia was truly lovable. It wasn’t her fault that they couldn’t see it. They had given all their patience to Betty and had none left for Zinnia. “Zinnia is my daughter. How could I ever give up on her?” Maelis stared at Sofia in shock, her voice trembling.

She realized Sofia meant for Zinnia to live with the Lynn family from now on.

“Grandma, you’re making this too serious. Zinnia is someone we worked so hard to find and bring back,” Timothy, caught off guard by Sofia’s firm stance, stood up abruptly.

Even though Timothy usually acted indifferent toward Zinnia, the thought of giving up his sister had never crossed his mind.

“Is that what you think? You’ve been dragging your feet, unable to make a decision. Fine, I’ll make it for you. You don't trust us to keep taking good care of her,” Sofia said.

Sofia glanced at them with a faint smile as if she had already won this argument.

“I can tell from the way you talk about the two of them that you’re biased toward Betty, aren’t you?” Sofia murmured with a smile.

Timothy fell silent. He felt the weight of Sofia’s displeasure.

“Zinnia is a sweetheart to us. Betty is yours. If you don’t want Zinnia, then let her go. We’ll gladly take her in and give her the love she deserves,” Sofia declared with a blank face.

She made it clear that Zinnia wasn’t unwanted. What the Shaw family pushed aside, they cherished, and if they couldn’t see her worth, they would. “Zinnia, I would never give up on you. Please, just give me a little more time. I’ll make things right between you and Betty,” Maelis voice trembled as she turned to Zinnia.

Maelis had never considered giving up on Zinnia. Zinnia was her child, the precious daughter she brought into the world with pain and effort. There was no way she would ever abandon her.

“I’m not going back to the Shaw residence.” Zinnia met Maelis’s pleading gaze, looking resolute.

“Zinnia, are you really going to push me to the edge?” Maelis said with tears in her eyes.

She hadn’t expected Zinnia to stand against her.

“You’re the ones who gave up on me.” Zinnia frowned, confused by Maelis’ tearful expression.

She saw Maelis’ hesitation as the answer–she had chosen Betty over her.

After all, Maelis couldn’t even bring herself to suggest that Betty move out. Betty had been by her side since childhood, and Maelis worried she wouldn’t be able to handle the outside world.

Maelis would never give up on Betty, which meant the one she chose to abandon was Zinnia.