Come in 97
Posted on July 07, 2025 ยท 0 mins read
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Chapter 97

Zinnia looked up at Lydia again, her usually calm eyes burning with anger. She couldnโ€™t believe someone could be so brutal. The distinct finger marks on Lydiaโ€™s neck made it look like someone had genuinely tried to strangle her.

โ€œZinnia, are you going to help me?โ€ Lydia asked, her eyes glimmering with wry amusement behind black-framed glasses.

โ€œTell me who did this, and Iโ€™ll make them pay,โ€ Zinnia said, nodding earnestly. She thought, โ€˜Lydia has always been so kind to me. How could anyone bully her?โ€™ Zinnia wanted to help her.

โ€œMy mom,โ€ Lydia said flatly.

Hearing Lydiaโ€™s words, Zinnia froze.

Lydia gave her a careless shrug and forced a smile. โ€œMy mom is unstable. Sheโ€™s in a psychiatric hospital. Sometimes, when she gets angry, she hits me. But itโ€™s okay. Sheโ€™ll get better soon.โ€

โ€œIs your mom sick?โ€ Zinnia asked, completely taken aback by the truth.

โ€œYeah, she has a mental disorder.โ€ Lydia paused when she noticed Zinniaโ€™s curious gaze. Meeting those innocent eyes, she forced a bitter smile. Just mentioning her mother, the weariness unconsciously welled up in her usually cold eyes.

Zinnia looked at Lydia seriously and said, โ€œLydia, donโ€™t force a smile if youโ€™re not feeling it.โ€ She had noticed how awkward her smile looked.

โ€œZinnia,โ€ Lydia said hoarsely, her voice breaking as if all her strength had drained away. Suddenly, she leaned into Zinnia, resting her head heavily on her shoulder. โ€œIโ€™m so tired,โ€ she murmured.

โ€œYeah,โ€ Zinnia murmured, gently brushing aside Lydiaโ€™s hair to reveal red marks on her neck. She scooped out some ointment and carefully smoothed it over the bruises.

Lydia asked, โ€œZinnia, can I tell you a story?โ€ She wrapped her arms around Zinniaโ€™s waist, breathing in the faint herbal scent. Lydia felt relieved and leaned into her embrace.

โ€œOf course,โ€ Zinnia replied.

Lydia continued, โ€œNineteen years ago, a woman and a man fell in love. They soon had a child on the way. However, just as the woman was about to give birth, the man disappeared.

โ€œThe shock sent her into premature labor, and a day later, she gave birth to a baby girl. After that, the woman gradually began to suffer from mental health issues.

โ€œShe took her daughter back home, unable to accept that the man had disappeared or abandoned them. Clinging to this hope, she took her medication and tried to get better. She held her daughter, comforting her that the man would come back.

โ€œFor the first five years, the girl was fine. But as the years went by and the man never returned, the womanโ€™s mind collapsed. She refused to take her medication, insisting that only when her mind was disturbed could she see him again.

โ€œNo matter how much her daughter pleaded, the woman refused to take her medicine. Over time, her mental state worsened. She grew to resent her daughter and even began hitting her. Her daughter was left with countless bruises and scars.

โ€œFor five long years, the girl endured this kind of life. When she turned ten, her motherโ€™s mental state deteriorated further. One day, in a fit of madness, she grabbed a knife and nearly killed her daughter.

โ€œThe neighbors were so terrified that they called the police. Her mother was then committed to a psychiatric hospital. The girl begged them not to take her mother away, but it was useless. She could only watch as they led her mother away.

โ€œAt first, the girl was allowed to visit once every six months. Her motherโ€™s mental state was so unstable that she could lash out at any moment. It wasnโ€™t until the girl was in high school that she was allowed to visit once a month.

โ€œHowever, every time the girl went to visit, her mother would beat or scold her. She even seemed to want to strangle her to death.โ€ Lydiaโ€™s voice was flat. It seemed like she was telling a story, but it was more like telling her experience.

Zinnia listened in silence.

โ€œZinnia, Iโ€™m so tired,โ€ Lydia whispered, her voice barely audible. Though warmth, Lydia nuzzled against Zinniaโ€™s neck.

Zinnia remained silent; Lydia could feel she understood. Seeking comfort in herโ€ฆ

โ€œRest if youโ€™re tired,โ€ Zinnia murmured, gently smoothing Lydiaโ€™s hair behind her back before giving her a comforting pat.

Zinniaโ€™s comforting words were simple, yet Lydia had a faint but genuine smile.

All these years of sorrow, pain, and exhaustion, Lydia had told them all to Zinnia.

โ€œMaybe I can help your mother,โ€ Zinnia said softly after a long silence, sensing that Lydia had calmed down.

Meanwhile, Class 19 was fuming as they scrolled through the online comments.

Everyone thought Zinnia was beautiful, but they believed she was too trusting and easily deceived. They didnโ€™t think sheโ€™d ever do something like that to Betty.

Zinnia and Lydia had barely stepped back into the classroom when they sensed the weird vibe. The moment they walked in, an angry voice boomed out.

Ethan slammed his hand on the desk with a bang. โ€œDamn it! Not a shred of evidence, but those people are already jumping to conclusions and spouting nonsense. A bunch of jerks are following along.โ€

โ€œThe Shaw family favors Betty the most. If Zinnia did that, wouldnโ€™t they dislike her even more? And honestly, if Zinnia was so cunning, she wouldnโ€™t have been framed into leaving in the first place.โ€

Brianโ€™s slender fingers scrolled through the online forum as he let out a disdainful scoff.

โ€œDamn it, Betty went too far! Zinniaโ€™s allergic to cream. Why would she fight over it? Thatโ€™s total bullshit. Itโ€™s just another one of Bettyโ€™s shameless schemes.โ€

Maisie scrolled through the malicious comments about Zinnia on the online forum. She felt angry and thought, โ€˜How dare Betty bully Zinnia like this?โ€™

Maisie didnโ€™t believe the online rumors. She thought Betty was framing Zinnia. Zinnia was too trusting. If she were capable of scheming against Betty, she wouldnโ€™t have been the one to leave in the first place.

Suddenly, a wave of awkward, deliberate coughing swept through the classroom.

โ€œJust take the medicine,โ€ Ethan snapped, pounding his fingers hard on the keyboard.

Noticing the tense atmosphere in the classroom, Lydia asked coldly, โ€œWhat happened?โ€

Ethan, who had been busy replying in the comment section, only then realized that Zinnia and Lydia had returned. โ€œZโ€“Zinnia, youโ€™re back,โ€ he stammered.

Ethan quickly hid his phone behind his back as the angry comments in the classroom died down. Everyone murmured, โ€œWe canโ€™t let Zinnia see these nasty comments.โ€

They looked at Zinniaโ€™s beautiful face, like a Barbie doll, and couldnโ€™t believe a single word they saw online. Even if it were true, with a face like that, theyโ€™d still find excuses for her. They trusted Zinnia.

โ€œDid something happen? Is it about me? I think I just heard my name,โ€ Zinnia asked, noticing their nervous expressions and the way they avoided her gaze.

โ€œZinnia,โ€ Ethan said.


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