Chapter 89
Zinnia waved goodbye to them, her small backpack slung over her shoulder as she made her way to Cloud Harbor.
“Zinnia.” A smooth, refined voice called out from behind just as she entered the residential complex, stepped into the lobby, and pressed the elevator
button.
Zinnia turned her head to see a tall, elegant figure.
The man was dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit that accentuated his broad shoulders and slim waist. The cuffs of his shirt were rolled up, and he carried a pink gift bag in one hand.
A faint smile curved his lips, and his features were strikingly handsome. His double eyelids were subtle, and his long, dark lashes were distinct and defined.
‘The gorgeous charmer is back,‘ Zinnia thought to herself.
“Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten me already,” Yanhis teased as he walked up to her, breaking the silence.
“Yannis,” Zinnia murmured softly, quickly averting her gaze.
“Just got out of school?” Yannis’s lazy smile deepened as his eyes curved slightly.
“Yeah,” Jackson confirmed.
“So cold, Zinnia! You only said two words, and one of them was my name. Does that even count as a conversation?” Yannis sighed dramatically, his tone dropping as he feigned grievance.
Listening to his slightly aggrieved tone, Zinnia frowned. ‘Is the gorgeous charmer sulking now?‘ she wondered.
Feeling a tug on her shoulder, she turned her head, her puzzled gaze landing on Yannis, who was reaching for her backpack.
“Let me carry it for you. We can’t have our little Zinnia squished under weight, right? Jackson told me to look after you, and if you shrink even a bit, he’ll definitely give me an earful,” Yannis said.
Zinnia couldn’t help but want to tell him: she’d already stopped growing. There was no way she’d get shorter.
Before she could say anything, Yannis’s next move silenced her. He held out a pink gift bag in front of her.
“What?” Zinnia blinked, her confusion evident.
“A little gift for you, Zinnia. To celebrate us becoming neighbors. Take care of me from now on, okay?” Yannis said with a serious expression that didn’t quite match the playful glint in his eyes.
Zinnia glanced down and saw a beautifully crafted pudding.
A three–layer milk pudding topped with fresh strawberries and accompanied by a skewer of rice balls–it looked absolutely mouthwatering.
“Thank you,” she said softly, her lips curving slightly. If it had been anything else, she might have refused, but this was pudding–sweet, tempting, and impossible to resist.
Yannis noticed the delight in her eyes and smirked at himself. It seemed his unreliable cousin had finally done something right once.
The elevator doors slid open, and the two stepped inside as it began its steady ascent.
“Zinnia, have you eaten yet?” Yannis asked, glancing at the petite girl beside him. She was dressed in a pale yellow, waist–cinched dress with a bow tied neatly at the back. Her slender figure looked so delicate.
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Chapter 89
She looked even thinner than when they first met. The Lynn family hadn’t taken proper care of her, and the Shaw family clearly hadn t dóna moch Honestly, it was infuriating.
“No, not yet,” Zinnia replied, shaking her head.
She hadn’t decided what to eat. Jackson had originally planned to send someone to take care of her, but Zinnia had declined.
He had already gone to great lengths to find her a place to stay and arrange everything for her. She didn’t want to trouble them further. Eating something simple on her own was fine.
“Why don’t you come over for dinner? I haven’t eaten yet either,” Yannis said with a smile, nodding as if he understood.
“That’s not necessary. I don’t want to trouble you,” Zinnia said, politely declining.
She could just snack on something at home. Jackson had stocked up on plenty of treats for her, and she could make do until tomorrow when she planned to grab lunch at a small diner.
