Chapter 179
Chapter 179
“That damn brat’s gone too farl This girl looks barely legal. The older he gets, the worse he behaves. I swear I’ll break his legs.
James’s sharp gaze landed on Zinnia. His stern eyes softened with a touch of affection. He thought, What a lovely little thing. She is far boo good for that rascal Yannis. But she looks barely legal! That brat never does anything right.
“If this really happens, how am I supposed to face her parents? Sure, things might be more liberal overseas, but that brat still can’t go and do something so beastly!‘
Victor said, “Yannis isn’t the type to act irresponsibly. There might be some misunderstanding here.”
After Grace passed away, James had a volatile temper that no one could rein in. Whenever Yannis showed up, their meetings inevitably turned into shouting matches.
But faced with Zinnia, James was putting on an artificially sweet tone, which even Victor found hard to get used to.
Victor thought, ‘Even Devin and Layla have probably never heard him talk like this. If they did, they’d get goosebumps and quietly call for a doctor!
James scoffed, “A misunderstanding? Come on, you and I both know what Yannis is like. He’d never let just anyone into his place unless they meant something to him.
“And look at this decor, no more of that gloomy black–and–white nonsense. It’s obvious this was all changed for that little girl.”
As James walked on with a cold snort, his sharp, shrewd eyes swept over the dramatically transformed apartment. He was convinced he had it all figured
out.
When Yannis was little, Grace had decorated his rooms in warm colors. But once he had a say, every place he lived in was either funeral–black or hospital- white, which always felt stifling. Now, looking around at this softer, warmer space, James felt much more pleasant.
Victor fell silent. He realized that James was right about Yannis. He began to believe that Zinnia truly mattered to Yannis.
As they chatted, the two made their way to the living room and took a seat on the sofa.
Zinnia poured two glasses of water for them and said gently, “Please have some water.”
“Thank you,” James and Victor replied in unison, their eyes still fixed on Zinnia as they carefully accepted the glasses with both hands.
Zinnia felt increasingly self–conscious under their gazes. Though she knew they meant no harm, being stared at for so long made her fidget. She offered, “Let me wash some fruit for you.”
James said softly, “Young lady, don’t trouble yourself. We will just sit for a bit, then we’ll be on our way. No need to fuss over us.”
His eyes remained fixed on Zinnia, a shrewd, curious glint in his gaze. When he tried to soften his voice, the forced gentleness was unmistakably stiff and awkward.
Zinnia said, “No trouble at all.” With that, she hurried into the kitchen. As she thought about James, a slight shiver ran through her. It was not out of fear, but simply because she just wasn’t used to being around someone like that.
She thought, ‘Despite his fierce appearance, his gaze is unexpectedly gentle. He was trying to lower his naturally booming voice, but it came out awkwardly.
‘His voice was sometimes loud, sometimes soft, as if he wasn’t used to it at all. The mix of these qualities gives off such a strange vibe that it leaves me feeling a bit uneasy.‘
Even though James tried hard to conceal his imposing aura, Zinnia could tell that he was no ordinary person. He was someone who had been through countless battles and seen his fair share of bloodshed.
Chapter 179
Victor said,
“Mr.
Perkins, let’s just
talk normally. If you keep
this
sup, I can’t
fake
it,
let alone
that
poor girl”
AD
