Their Villain, The Mogul's Beloved

Chapter 400

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The hospital wasn’t far from Cloud Harbor, but weekend traffic jammed every road. By the tthey finally made

it back, Zinnia drifted asleep, her head resting on Yannis‘ shoulder.

Yannis was working on his laptop when he felt a gentle weight settle on his shoulder. His fingers paused over the

keyboard and he glanced down at her peaceful face.

Yannis carefully moved the laptop aside and took the half-finished orange juice from her loose grasp. Exhaustion

lined her face-she frowned even in sleep. And her favorite drink was left unfinished.

Yannis drained the cup. Too sweet, but drinkable.

He then touched her hand. It felt a little cold. He tucked his suit jacket around her. “Turn up the heat,” he told the

driver.

A faint minty fragrance drifted to Zinnia’s nose, and the furrow between her tightly knit brows unconsciously

eased a little.

Yannis‘ long, elegant fingers lightly brushed her forehead. He murmured, “Sleep well. When you wake up,

everything will be fine.”

“The Shaw family will never get another chance to hurt you. The Shaw family and Maelis, I'll make them pay,‘ he

swore.

Perhaps it was his promise-Zinnia’s brow smoothed completely.

Yannis carefully applied more ointment to her cheek. Only a faint pink mark remained where the slap had landed.

But the slap hadn't just landed on her face; it had wounded everyone who cared for her.

When they reached the garage, the driver opened their door. Zinnia was still deeply asleep. Yannis bent down

and scooped her up, her small body curling into a little bundle in his arms.

He frowned and thought, ‘She's still so light. | really need to fatten her up.

Zinnia stirred, her brows knitting as if about to wake. Sensing this, Yannis gently patted her back. She relaxed

again, unconsciously nuzzling closer against his chest.

As they approached, the motion-sensing elevator slid open automatically. Yannis carried Zinnia inside, and then

it ascended smoothly.

In her bedroom, Yannis knelt to remove her shoes. Sunset light bathed them-him kneeling by the bed, her

sleeping-in golden stillness.

When Zinnia woke up, the setting sun outside her window painted the sky with layers of fiery clouds, filling the

whole room in a warm golden glow. For a moment, she felt as if she had returned to the days in that small

town.

Back then, her favorite twas the summer sunset. Every evening, the afterglow painted the sky with unique

beauty. Each sight was a feast for the eyes.

12:29 Thu, Oct 2

Chapter 400

20

When the sun set, Nathan would always take little Zinnia’s hand and lead her to the herb garden. Together, they

would gather herbs there. In the peaceful silence, the lingering glow of the sunset gradually faded for a moment,

tseemed to melt away.

But when her gaze fell on the shiny apricot-colored floor, she was suddenly pulled back to reality-she was to

longer in that small town, and Nathan was no longer by her side.

The door creaked open slightly. Zinnia looked up and saw Yannis‘ figure appear in the doorway. She dazed for a

moment. The emptiness she’d felt moments ago was quietly replaced by his solid presence.

“You're awake.” Yannis said, pushing the door fully open when he saw she was awake. “Hungry? | made your

favorite food.”

“Um,” Zinnia mumbled, she looked at Yannis. “How did | get back?” She remembered being in the car, then

nothing.

“I carried you back,” Yannis replied, a teasing smile playing on his lips.

Zinnia’s drowsy mind jolted awake. She sat up straight, her cheeks turning crimson. “Y-you carriedback?”

She was embarrassed and could feel her ears burning.

She was completely exhausted that afternoon, and didn’t remember when she fell asleep, let alone how she

ended up being carried home.

“You were sleeping so soundly. | couldn't bear to wake you.” A playful smile tugging at his lips, clearly enjoying

her embarrassment. He added, “I just scooped you up. Princess-style.”

Zinnia’'s cheeks burned hotter. The earlier melancholy vanished, completely drowned out by acute shyness.

Fidgeting with the bedsheet, she murmured, “Yannis, next t| fall asleep, just wakeup, okay?”

“Nope,” Yannis grinned. “It’s such a rare chance forto hold you in my arms. Honestly, my ego is kind of

enjoying this.”

“En-enjoy this?” Zinnia muttered.

“I just want to hold you close,” Yannis drawled. His eyes sparkled with genuine warmth beneath the teasing. “If

you weren't asleep, | wouldn't have this perfect chance to cuddle you.”

Yannis watched her closely. The lost, lonely look he’d seen when he first opened the door was gone, replaced by

flustered energy. That was better.

Zinnia’'s ears were practically glowing. She shouldn't have asked. Yannis was always like this-saying things that

sounded like flirting, impossible to tell if he was serious or just teasing.

“Yannis, I'm a grown-up now. You can’t be so touchy-feely with me,” Zinnia tried to sound stern.

“But to me, you're always a little girl,” Yannis replied with a tender smile. “I still want to hold you close in my

lift

you up to the stars.”

arms,

“And plant a kiss on your lips?” Zinnia blurted as the phrases always cas a package deal, then froze.

12:29 Thu, Oct 2

Chapter 400

‘Oh my gosh, did I really just say that out loud? My tongue is running a marathon today and my brain’s still in

bed!’ Zinnia thought to herself and clapped both hands over her mouth, eyes wide with horror.

“Kiss?” Yannis was momentarily stunned. “Well, Zinnia, you're still too young for that,” Yannis said.

Then, the implications dawned on him. She was right at an age when teenage feelings started bubbling up. She

was beautiful, kind, and trusting, and he’d noticed plenty of guys eyeing her at today’s party.

Alarm bells suddenly went off in his mind. Forgetting all about calling her to dinner, he strode into the room, sat

down at the desk. His expression turned serious.

Zinnia looked at him, puzzled, a sense of foreboding creeping into her heart.

“Zinnia,” he started, his voice low and firm, “you're still young, and there are things you might not fully

understand yet. Physical intimacy, like kissing and other such things, isn’t appropriate until you reach adulthood.

“If anyone ever tries to force you, don't hesitate to fight back. Use whatever you can to protect yourself, and I'll

handle the fallout.”

Yannis looked at Zinnia, his gaze intense. “Zinnia, there are plenty of smooth-talking boys out there. They always

deceive girls. You're still young and it’s easy to get confused.

“So if you ever like someone, bring him tofirst. Letcheck him out for you. | won't let anyone cheat you.”

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