Chapter 208
The holiday flew by, and before she knew it, Zinnia was down to her last day off. Apart from occasionally visiting Lydia to check on Bonnie’s condition, she rarely went out during the day.
Maybe something about what happened with Nathan got to her–Zinnia, who’d never cared much about her grades before, suddenly started working hard. She even asked Yannis to help her find a tutor.
It wasn’t until Sofia’s seventy–second birthday that Zinnia finally stopped studying. The Lynn family reserved a restaurant to celebrate, and Zinnia was heading out to join them for dinner.
As Zinnia stepped out of the residential area, Yannis called her, “Zinnia, do you want me to come get you?”
“No need, Yannis. The restaurant isn’t far–I’ll just grab a ride,” Zinnia said, walking as she booked a car on her phone.
“Alright then, be safe on the way. Call me when you arrive and I’ll have someone meet you,” Yannis said. He was still at the office, swamped with work, and would be heading over later.
“Okay,” Zinnia hung up as her ride pulled up. She got in, knowing Yannis would be heading over soon as well.
Sofia kept her birthday celebration low–key. At her age, she preferred not to make a big fuss, so the Lynn family just gathered for a lively, cozy meal together.
Since Zinnia had been staying with Yannis lately, Sofia invited him as well.
The car ride took about twenty minutes before Zinnia arrived at the restaurant, where Jackson had reserved a private dining area on the top floor. As Zinnia stepped out of the car, she suddenly heard a familiar voice.
“My mom’s up there. What gives you the right to stop me?” Maelis’s furious, almost mad voice rang through the lobby.
“I’m sorry, ma’am, but we haven’t received authorization for your access,” the receptionist declined politely yet firmly. “I’m afraid you cannot go upstairs.”
Spotting Maelis, Zinnia paused mid–step. She felt so unlucky to run into her everywhere she’d gone. Zinnia was carrying the carefully prepared gift for
Sofia.
“Zinnia, have you arrived? I’ll send someone down to meet you,” Jackson’s voice came through the phone.
“Well, I’m here, Jackson,” Zinnia replied softly. Ever since Maelis slapped her while she was wearing headphones, she never wore them again. She was just about to hang up,
“Zinnia!” Maelis’s shrill voice pierced through just as the call ended, reaching Jackson’s ears. His heart skipped a beat. Having just left the office, he immediately dialed Isaac, who had already arrived the restaurant.
Though Maelis’s shrill voice cut through the air, Zinnia merely furrowed her brows, her expression remaining composed. She studied the woman before her–though they’d only been apart for a few days, Maelis seemed to have aged a decade.
Gone was her usual graceful elegance; her hair, once meticulously styled by professionals, now hung in a careless ponytail. Her face was pallid, but when her eyes landed on Zinnia, they burned with unmistakable hatred–a venomous glare that seemed ready to devour her whole.
Perhaps the consequences of that last slap still haunted Maelis. This time, she dug her nails into her palms, forcing down the wave of hatred inside her, and with tremendous willpower, managed to suppress the urge to slap her senseless right then and there.
In stark contrast to Maelis’s haggard appearance, Zinnia was in an ethereal grace. She wore an off–white, sheath dress with embroidery, her smooth
braided and coiled at the back.
Since the holiday, the temperature had dropped, so she wrapped a cream–colored shawl around her shoulders against the chill, cradling a long wooden box in her arms. Her eyes were clear and luminous, her demeanor soft and gentle, showing how gorgeous she had been.
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Chapter 208
The dress was a gift from Yvette. As a true enthusiast, whenever she placed a new order for herself, she would have the tailor make a law coral or Zinnia and Maisie as well.
Living with Yannis had done wonders for Zinnia–her complexion now glowed with health, making her radiantly beautiful. The stark contrast was undeniable compared to how drab and invisible she had once been to the Shaw family.
Maelis had never imagined Zinnia would blossom into such a dazzling figure. She’d always known she was pretty, but she’d barely paid her any attention -until now, when Zinnia was already being cherished by so many.
“Take me upstairs,” Maelis commanded, her face twisted in humiliation as she glared at Zinnia. Seething with rage, she couldn’t believe the Lynns would cut her off so ruthlessly–severing all ties and withdrawing every cent without a second thought.
The Shaw family was instantly plunged into chaos. Then Yannis struck, and even the overseas MZ Group inexplicably targeted them. Other families quickly piled on, kicking them while they were down.
The Shaw family now teetered on the brink of bankruptcy. Without the Lynn family’s support, they finally understood what true hardship was. Forget about moving forward–their fortunes were in freefall.
Few elite families would even acknowledge them now, let alone providing assistance. They considered it a mercy if people didn’t outright scorn them.
Yosef seemed to have aged years overnight–unable to handle the pressure at the company. He now spent his days drowning himself in alcohol.
As for her husband, all his former tenderness had vanished; every time he came home from work, he would lash out at her like a person she had never known, full of rage.
What shocked Maelis most was that after their last visit to the Bacon family, he had even slapped her across the face. She was utterly stunned, unable to believe how much her world had changed.
Ever since the Shaw family’s downfall, she had been disowned by the Lynns. Instead of comfort, she found only scorn, blame, and angry rebukes–forced to grovel before Henry and the others for forgiveness.
From the moment disaster struck, Donald hadn’t spared her a single kind glance.
All the beauty in her life had felt like a dream–one that shattered the moment Zinnia walked away.
All three of her sons had turned away from her. Howard grew distant because of Zinnia, Timothy because of his marriage, and Yosef drew himself in alcohol, too preoccupied to care about her.
Even Betty, who used to be so attentive, was always out these days–her once caring and understanding nature vanished. When she tried to talk to her, hoping for a little comfort, Betty just got impatient, her eyes cold and unfamiliar.
Problems kept piling up, one after another–the relentless blows left Maelis completely overwhelmed. She didn’t even have the time or energy to take care of herself.
In her mind, it was all the Lynn family and Zinnia’s fault. It wasn’t that she hadn’t considered apologizing to the Lynns, but she couldn’t even get past their front gate–everyone, especially Henry, simply refused to see her.
After finding out that Sofia’s birthday party would be held here, she came to ask–did they really have to be this heartless?
She thought, ‘I just gave Zinnia one little slap; it’s not like she was seriously hurt.‘ She didn’t understand why they treated her so harshly. Zinnia slapped her back anyhow.
But when she arrived, she couldn’t get upstairs at all. She’d been making a scene at the reception desk–until she spotted Zinnia. Now she saw her chance, ‘Maybe she could ask Zinnia to get upstairs.‘
Zinnia shot her a cold look and said, “On what grounds? You’ve got some nerve, Mrs. Shaw.”
Chapter 209
