Chapter 82
Howard said, “Mom, if you’d brought Zinnia back and had a proper talk with her, maybe even let her sweet talk Grandma a little, wouldn’t that he solved the issue just as well?
“Not only that, but it could’ve been a chance to fix your relationship with her. Instead, you made this choice, and now you’ve pushed Zinnia even further away. You’ve completely broken her heart, Mom.”
Howard felt tightness in his chest as he listened to Maelis’s words, frustration bubbling up inside him.
He continued, “And pulling the post down so abruptly will only make the online chatter worse. We should’ve taken a different approach to minimize the damage.
“Betty could’ve issued a sincere apology, and we could’ve released a statement saying that she’s family in every way that matters. Letting everyone know we’re standing behind her would’ve worked just as well, wouldn’t it?
“Over time, people would’ve moved on, and this whole mess would’ve blown over. Zinnia isn’t the type to hold grudges forever. So why did you have to make this decision?
“And another thing–we haven’t even officially acknowledged Zinnia as our daughter. She’s our own child, and we owe her that much.”
Howard rubbed his temples, his headache worsened. He couldn’t understand why his mom always seemed to make things harder for everyone. Before coming home, he’d even wondered if Zinnia had exaggerated the situation.
But after hearing Maelis’s reasoning, Howard realized with a sinking heart that convincing Zinnia to come back home would now be nearly impossible.
The image of Zinnia’s cold, distant gaze from earlier that afternoon flashed in his mind, and it stung deeply. This was the second time she’d been abandoned.
Howard didn’t have a particularly close bond with Zinnia, given how little time they’d spent together. But even with that distance, he had never once thought of giving up on her.
He figured their lack of connection was due to the short time she’d been back. He felt that Zinnia might be a bit headstrong, but he never imagined their relationship would deteriorate to this extent.
Maelis opened her mouth to respond, hesitating. “I… Betty has been so upset about the online backlash. Jackson refuses to take down the post, and so many people are attacking Betty.
“Your father came home and insisted I ask Jackson to remove the post. Your grandmother said if I wanted the post taken down, I had to make a choice. I thought she was just venting her anger at me and Zinnia…”
Maelis spoke with a hint of grievance, her voice trailing off. She really hadn’t thought it through.
“Zinnia is my daughter! How could she ever turn her back on me?” Maelis murmured softly.
They were mother and daughter by blood. She had reached out to Zinnia multiple times, but Zinnia had never shown her any warmth. Deep down, Maelis felt hurt too.
“Mom, Zinnia might not reject you outright, but you’ve broken her heart. And when the heart is wounded, it’s not something that can be easily mended,” Howard said, his voice heavy with resignation.
Zinnia had only just been brought back to the family after seventeen years apart. She hadn’t grown up with them, didn’t share deep bonds, and now, being treated like this, repairing their relationship in the future would be far from easy.
True families aren’t a cure–all. If they were, Zinnia wouldn’t be ignoring him while calling Isaac her brother so warmly, again and again.
Every time she called him, it felt like a jab to Howard’s heart. He was supposed to be her third brother, yet after all their encounters, she hadn’t called him even once. The jealousy and bitterness gnawed at him.
Chapter 8:
Chapter 82
Howard said, “Mom, if you’d brought Zinnia back and had a proper talk with her, maybe even let her sweet talk Grandma a little, wouldn’t that have solved the issue just as well?
“Not only that, but it could’ve been a chance to fix your relationship with her. Instead, you made this choice, and now you’ve pushed Zinnia even further away. You’ve completely broken her heart, Mom.”
Howard fell tightness in his chest as he listened to Maelis’s words, frustration bubbling up inside him.
He continued, “And pulling the post down so abruptly will only make the online chatter worse. We should’ve taken a different approach to minimize the damage.
“Betty could’ve issued a sincere apology, and we could’ve released a statement saying that she’s family in every way that matters. Letting everyone anot we’re standing behind her would’ve worked just as well, wouldn’t it?
“Over time, people would’ve moved on, and this whole mess would’ve blown over. Zinnia isn’t the type to hold grudges forever. So why did you Have to make this decision?
“And another thing–we haven’t even officially acknowledged Zinnia as our daughter. She’s our own child, and we owe her that much.”
Howard rubbed his temples, his headache worsened. He couldn’t understand why his mom always seemed to make things harder for everyone. Before coming home, he’d even wondered if Zinnia had exaggerated the situation.
But after hearing Maelis’s reasoning, Howard realized with a sinking heart that convincing Zinnia to come back home would now be nearly impossible.
The image of Zinnia’s cold, distant gaze from earlier that afternoon flashed in his mind, and it stung deeply. This was the second time she’d been abandoned.
Howard didn’t have a particularly close bond with Zinnia, given how little time they’d spent together. But even with that distance, he had never once thought of giving up on her.
He figured their lack of connection was due to the short time she’d been back. He felt that Zinnia might be a bit headstrong, but he never imagined their relationship would deteriorate to this extent.
Maelis opened her mouth to respond, hesitating. “I… Betty has been so upset about the online backlash. Jackson refuses to take down the post, and so many people are attacking Betty.
“Your father came home and insisted I ask Jackson to remove the post. Your grandmother said if I wanted the post taken down, I had to make a choice. I thought she was just venting her anger at me and Zinnia…”
Maelis spoke with a hint of grievance, her voice trailing off. She really hadn’t thought it through.
“Zinnia is my daughter! How could she ever turn her back on me?” Maelis murmured softly.
They were mother and daughter by blood. She had reached out to Zinnia multiple times, but Zinnia had never shown her any warmth. Deep down, Maelis felt hurt too.
“Mom, Zinnia might not reject you outright, but you’ve broken her heart. And when the heart is wounded, it’s not something that can be easily mended,” Howard said, his voice heavy with resignation.
Zinnia had only just been brought back to the family after seventeen years apart. She hadn’t grown up with them, didn’t share deep bonds, and now, being treated like this, repairing their relationship in the future would be far from easy.
True families aren’t a cure–all. If they were, Zinnia wouldn’t be ignoring him while calling Isaac her brother so
warmly, again and again.
Every time she called him, it felt like a jab to Howard’s heart. He was supposed to be her third brother, yet after all their encounters, she hadn’t called him even once. The jealousy and bitterness gnawed at him.
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