Their Villain, The Mogul's Beloved

Chapter 218

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Chapter 218

Zinnia slept until evening. While she was out, the Shaw family came looking for her, but Sofia turned them away, furious.

She made it clear Zinnia wasn’t going anywhere until the Shaws straightened themselves out.

The Shaws had accused Zinnia of wrongdoing over a ridiculous misunderstanding and actually considered banishing her. The thought of Zinnia hearing those hurtful words twisted Sofia’s stomach.

Maelis bore the brunt of Sofia’s fury. Sofia couldn’t comprehend how her own daughter could be so blind to what was right.

When Maelis finally left with red-rimmed eyes, promising to check on Zinnia later, Sofia turned away without acknowledgment.

The irony tasted like ash in Sofia’s mouth. ‘Zinnia’s her own flesh and blood. If she’d truly cared, she would’ve at least looked back before leaving.

‘But no, she’s too wrapped up in coddling Betty while being ready to throw Zinnia away. What kind of mother does that?’ she thought.

“You’re awake?” Charlie entered with medicine, immediately moving to help as Zinnia struggled upright.

Zinnia blinked at the unfamiliar room, her thoughts sluggish, until a kind-eyed man leaned into view. For one dizzy moment, she thought it was her master-always so gentle, always there when she woke up sick.

Without thinking, she leaned into Charlie. “Master…” Her voice came out soft, rough, and aching.

Charlie froze, unprepared for her unexpected closeness and immediate trust.

Charlie looked down at Zinnia leaning on him, confused. A strange warm feeling grew in his chest-he’d never had someone depend on him like this before.

The Lynn family had no girls in Charlie’s generation, and Charlie, like the rest, couldn’t stand Betty, When Zinnia leaned into him, trusting and warm, he froze, his hands stiff on her shoulders, and his mind blank.

Charlie leaned closer, but Zinnia’s whisper was too faint to catch. “Hey,” he said, keeping his voice soft, “I’ll take care of you. No more pain.”

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Chapter 218

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should. Remembering his coworkers’ words about how to comfort little sisters, he gave

body, all sharp edges and hollow curves, twisted something inside him. ‘Whoever was supposed

fever has to be tearing her apart. People always say little girls are fragile-no way she can handle this much pain on her

sound of Charlie’s soothing voice. She looked up to see his kind face-soft

slowly settled into a steady rhythm against her

from Charlie’s arms as she realized the man holding her wasn’t

master.

woke. Then his face would darken with that familiar scolding tone. “You never let me

the story endlessly-how he’d found her as a baby, dumped in the trash and barely breathing, her

shocked him.

slightest chill sent her into a fever. A decade of his care had

a child-delicate as porcelain. Whenever her master went herb- gathering in the mountains, he’d leave her with someone in their town,

her biological parents and sent her back to

pool water there still haunted Zinnia. When she’d been pushed in,

lessons from her master, she had no idea what to do. Cold water rushed into her nose and

shivered, watching Howard dive for Betty without hesitation. The familiarity of it prickled her skin-that same abandonment she’d felt

and the others finally pulled her out, but

bones.

on. Normally, she’d make her own remedy, but she’d used all her herbs on Lucy and the others. When she tried to

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Chapter 218

dragged her to

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she pulled away, the warmth vanished, leaving behind an unexpected

buried in lab work to notice her return.

for the first time, Charlie found she matched every image he’d ever

“I’m fine now, thank you.” Her gaze took in the unfamiliar surroundings- neither the Shaw residence nor the hospital. Recalling

and Zinnia was even quieter. Before long, the

silent.