Chapter 158
“She’s my one and only darling. Everyone was fighting over her, and I barely managed to win her. If you don’t bring her back to me, I’ll die of heartbreak Yannis replied with a playful grin, his eyes sparkling mischievously.
Hearing Yannis lazily say those words, Zinnia felt her cheeks warm up.
Zinnia thought, ‘Maisie and the others call her darli
honeyed words and that mischievous grin?‘
all the time. But when it comes from Yannis, it feels hot. Does he talk to everyone with those
“What are you looking at?” Yannis asked, sensing something oddly familiar in Zinnia’s eyes.
“Smirking like a little devil, with all those sweet words. How many girls have you charm–talked like this?” Zinnia muttered.
Yannis said, “Hey, can’t I even smile now? Zinnia, don’t get me wrong–you’re the only one I’ve ever called ‘darling‘!”
‘Wow, this girl is getting bolder every day. She even calls me a ‘little
now,’ Yannis thought, feeling totally wronged.
Zinnia mumbled, “Who knows? Maybe you’ve called other girls that before.”
Yannis turned to Jackson. “I’m a good guy. I barely ever talked to girls before.” Seeing her doubtful look, he thought he needed backup.
Zinnia looked at Jackson and said, “Jackson is a real gentleman. Not like you, always spouting sweet words.”
Jackson said, “Zinnia, don’t believe a word Yannis says. When he was abroad, he was a total heartthrob. With that face of his, he was irresistible. Crowds of fans, both guys and girls, would gather outside his apartment every day.”
Jackson couldn’t help but notice how they banter and get closer, feeling a strange mix of emotions in his chest.
“Liar,” Zinnia said, stepping away from Yannis and moving over to Jackson. She gave Yannis a sly look, clearly enjoying his stunned face.
“Ah, it’s so unfair! You two are ganging up on poor little me,” Yannis said.
After just one month, Yannis was called by “little devil,” “honey–tongued,” and “liar.” Groaning inside, he could only swallow his frustration.
He thought to himself, ‘Can you really blame me for that? My dad cut off my allowance, so I had to rent a shabby place with no security. Even with a mask, people still kept staring.‘
“Want me to call you a shrink?” Jackson teased.
“Want me to check on you?” Zinnia turned her head, noticing this lively and crazy side of Yannis. She found it oddly interesting and kept watching him.
Yannis thought, ‘What new label is she putting on me? I was totally confused by her mysterious stare–can’t tell what she was thinking, but one thing’s for sure: it wasn’t a compliment.
‘I really need to find a moment to ask her. So I can count all the labels she’s given me. What kind of guy does she think I am?‘
Yannis rubbed his face, letting go of his earlier lively face. He looked at the siblings with a totally defeated look. ‘Fine, do what you want,‘ he thought.
“Come on, let’s go upstairs,” Yannis said to Jackson.
Zinnia remembered she had homework to finish. With plans to go out and have fun, she knew she had to finish it fast so she could enjoy herself without worries.
Once inside the living room, Zinnia headed straight for her favorite snack cabinet. She wanted to see if there were any new treats.
Chapter 158
Every time Zinnia came home, she’d find her snack cabinet filled with new snacks. All made just for her, thanks to Yannis having the factory work overtime to make her favorites.
“Only one bag of chips today. Close the window when you do your homework in your room,” Yannis called after her, holding Zinnia’s backpack,
Jackson, arms full of things, gave Yannis a teasing look. “So now you’re playing both big brother and housekeeper, huh?”
About Zinnia’s health, Yannis had told Jackson a few days earlier. Yannis said, “If I don’t watch her, she’ll always sneak extra snacks.”
While Yannis was changing his shoes, Zinnia had already grabbed a bag of chips, a box of cookies, and two chocolate bars–and then rushed back to her
room.
“I bet James has never seen you act like a mom before,” Jackson said, surprised at how well Yannis could take care of Zinnia.
Jackson thought, ‘At first, I thought Zinnia would just stay here for a while. But now, it’s like he’s raising her, worried about every little thing
“You left her to me, so I have to be careful. If something happens to Zinnia, you’ll come after me,” Yannis said as they walked to the living room together,
“Your place used to be so quiet. Now that Zinnia’s here, this place has become so around the changed house.
lively and full of energy. Isn’t that better?” Jackson said, looking
Jackson thought, ‘Last time I was here, I was in such a rush I didn’t see much. But now, it feels like the place got a total makeover–like a whole new
home.‘
“That’s true,” Yannis agreed, a smile on his face.
“Look, you should thank Zinnia. She’s giving you lots of practice for when you have kids someday,” Jackson said, noticing the child–proof corners and the princess chair outside. “You’re actually doing pretty well as a temporary parent.”
Jackson thought, ‘All my worries are gone–for now, at least.‘
“If I had my own kids, I’d just hire a babysitter. But with Zinnia, I wouldn’t trust anyone else to watch her,” Yannis said, hanging her backpack by the door and making Jackson some coffee.
Yannis thought, ‘If I had kids, I wouldn’t need to do all this. With my family members fighting over who gets to care for them, I’d barely even hold my own
child.
‘But I wouldn’t trust anyone else with Zinnia. She’d just stay quiet if wronged, so I better keep a close eye on her myself.”
Jackson couldn’t help but feel that Yannis was more like a real brother to Zinnia than he was. He just couldn’t give her the care she needed. Even Yannis seemed to fill that role better than him.
Yannis chuckled softly, raised his cup, and clinked it with Jackson’s. “Thanks for trusting me. I won’t let you down.”
Jackson leaned back comfortably on the sofa. “Alright, what did you want to talk about? You’re not just here to brag about how good you are as a parent, right?”
Jackson sat up straight as Yannis dropped a big surprise: “Nathan might still be alive.”
AD
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