Their Villain, The Mogul's Beloved

Chapter 352

In the middle of the night, Zinnia woke up parched. She had left her room earlier to get some water, but never got around to drinking it.

2

She opened the door and walked toward the kitchen island. Just as she finished pouring a glass of water and turned around, she suddenly spotted a figure by the floor–to–ceiling window. Her drowsiness vanished instantly.

Setting down her cup, she hurried over, calling softly, “Yannis?”

Sure enough, the figure by the window was Yannis. Huddled in the corner, he stared blankly out the window, his usually sharp eyes now so dark that not a glimmer of light remained. He neither spoke nor moved.

Zinnia crouched beside him, calling softly, “Yannis?”

Yannis showed no reaction whatsoever, his gaze unfocused as he stared blankly out the window.

Zinnia followed his gaze out the window but didn’t see anything unusual, just ordinary lights. She called again, “Yannis?”

Zinnia grew worried about his condition. Afraid the alcohol might be making him unwell, she gently reached out to feel his forehead, then his cheek. The sobering soup worked. His skin felt cooler now, and the feverish heat had faded.

Perhaps Zinnia’s touch had roused him slightly, as broken, barely audible murmurs escaped his lips: “Don’t leave me. Please, don’t leave me.”

Yannis’s forehead rested against the cold glass window, with city lights outside casting shifting patterns across his face. A corner of the sheer curtain fluttered, scattering mottled shadows.

His hair hung limply over his brow, adding an unguarded vulnerability to him. If one looked closely, his whole body was trembling slightly.

Zinnia’s heart clenched at the sight. She had never seen Yannis look so broken, as if abandoned by the whole world. “Yannis,” she murmured, alarmed by his condition. She reached out and held his hand, his knuckles white from gripping too hard.

As soon as Zinnia touched his hand, a sudden force pulled her into a tight embrace. A faint whiff of alcohol lingered around her. Zinnia froze, too stunned to react.

Yannis rested his head on Zinnia’s shoulder, his arms wrapped tightly around her waist, like a wounded lion cub seeking comfort and protection.

wrapped her arms

her ears: “Let her go, take me instead. I’m begging you. Don’t leave me.” Each word

so dependent and vulnerable pained Zinnia. An inexplicable tightness settled in

11:28 Tue, Sep 30

Chapter 352

82

56 vouchers

he is, the word “beg” would never have crossed his lips. Yet now, out of his mind, he pleaded. Zinnia could sense the profound anguish laced in his low

at his most vulnerable now; she mustn’t trigger him, or his psychological trauma would only deepen. Maybe that was the root cause of his

softly, “I’m not leaving. I promise, I’m

His eyes unconsciously reddened. A single tear fell from the corner of his eye, landing hot against her neck, while an aura of

head to look at Yannis. She found his eyes were rimmed red,

turns out that behind his ever–present smile, he is hiding a profound suffering no one else could see.‘ Suddenly, she recalled what Sofia had told her

ached with belated sympathy for him. “I won’t leave you,” she murmured, gently

good at comforting others, so she tried to recall how she’d seen people do it

when Zinnia and Maisie were walking around the school track, they saw

girl was crying her eyes out, and the boy gently stroked her hair. Zinnia didn’t catch what the

Wish I’d heard what that

effect; Yannis fell silent. He simply held her,

me to help you back

crouching. Now that Yannis had stopped crying, she thought

is the dead of night, and the living room is getting chilly. If we stay out here any longer, we will both risk

before bed, saying he’d put Yannis to bed and told her not to worry. But when she came

his arms from around her waist, but after struggling for what felt like ages, his grip was ironclad. She

from crouching, Yannis suddenly straightened his legs. Caught off guard, Zinnia lurched forward, and in an

11:28 Tue, Sep 30

Chapter 352