Chapter 72
Chapter 72
As Maelis approached, Zinnia instinctively took a step back, her silence speaking volumes.
“Zinnia,” Maelis said softly, her voice trembling as she watched Zinnia retreat. She realized that her own child was afraid of her.
“Zinnia, let’s go inside and talk, okay?” Maelis said, forcing a smile as she swallowed the bitterness rising in her chest. She told herself that she hurt Zinnia, and it was only natural for Zinnia to act this way.
“Is Zinnia’s back? Come in,” Sofia called out cheerfully as she stepped outside, waving her hand toward Zinnia.
The moment Zinnia saw Sofia, her guarded demeanor melted away. She quickly walked inside and said, “Grandma, I’m back.”
Sofia glanced at Maelis, who was left standing behind, and then gently took Zinnia’s hand, leading her further into the house.
Seeing Zinnia being close to Sofia while remaining so distant from her, Maelis could only manage a bitter smile. She realized that winning Zinnia’s heart wouldn’t be possible for now.
Walking beside Sofia, Zinnia’s tightly wound nerves finally eased a little. She didn’t know what Maelis was doing here.
As they stepped into the living room, Zinnia’s mood soured even further. Timothy was there, sitting on the couch.
“Hi, Zinnia,” Timothy greeted her in a usually cold voice. His face was blank, but his eyes betrayed a flicker of emotion–no longer as cold as before.
Timothy hadn’t expected Zinnia to be the one giving him medicine. Honestly, he had thought about everyone else but her.
Zinnia barely glanced at him before looking away. She thought, ‘Ugh, him again. What rotten luck.‘
Ever since she had reunited with the Shaw family, the Shaw boys had started coming home less and less. If it weren’t for Betty calling them back, she
doubted she would see them at all.
However, it seemed like she was running into them more often than ever. Zinnia thought, ‘I’ve moved out of the Shaw residence, so why am I seeing
them even more?
‘Yesterday it was Howard, and today it’s Timothy. Are they taking shifts? How irritating.’
“Zinnia, how’s school going? Are you settling in okay?” Maelis asked as she walked in. She saw Zinnia sitting on the couch with Sofia who was asking about her school life and decided to join them.
Her face was adorned with a gentle smile, and her gaze was filled with concern as it landed on Zinnia.
“Yeah,” Zinnia mumbled and glanced at Sofia. She wasn’t quite used to Maelis being so gentle with her.
With Sofia present, however, Zinnia couldn’t afford to show any hostility toward Maelis or Timothy.
After all, Sofia was Maelis‘ mother. No matter how much Sofia doted on her, Maelis was still her daughter, while Zinnia was merely her granddaughter.
Zinnia didn’t want Sofia to be troubled by the ongoing issues between her and the Shaw family.
“Zinnia, are you comfortable staying with your grandmother?” Maelis‘ eyes lit up with a hint of surprise when Zinnia answered her earlier question. Softening her tone further, she spoke again.
Timothy didn’t leave the room. He stayed put, his eyes never leaving Zinnia.
Seeing how she resisted yet held it in, he couldn’t quite understand why she was so against their whole family.
She hadn’t always been like this. There was a time when she would greet him and treat him as her brother.
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TTI, O Jun
Chapter 72
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However, ever since what happened a few days ago, he realized she wasn’t as close to him anymore. She was even nicer to other guys than she was to him.
He couldn’t understand what could possibly make her stay mad for this long.
He admitted that they made a mistake last time, but they apologized. He just felt her continued coldness was unfair to them.
Timothy couldn’t shake the discomfort in his heart.
He thought, ‘We were supposed to be her family, yet she seemed more at home with the Lynn family instead!’
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