Their Villain, The Mogul's Beloved

Zinnia woke up to daylight.

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Luckily, it was the weekend and Zinnia didn’t have to go to school. Otherwise, she’d be dead on her feet.

She pushed open her room door and stepped out, only to find the hospital room deathly quiet.

Zinnia’s appearance drew everyone’s gaze toward her.

Several pairs of eyes locked onto her, snapping her half–asleep mind into full alertness.

Instinctively, she took a step back, pressing herself against the door, ready to slip back into her room.

With James now awake, the room fell into an unnerving silence. Zinnia had no idea what they’d been discussing before.

“Zinnia,” James called softly, his voice gentle yet still rough from his recent illness.

Yannis stood up and walked over to her with a reassuring smile. “Hey, no need to run off. Don’t be scared. You’re the hero of our family right now.”

“Huh?” Zinnia blinked in utter confusion.

‘I just took a nap. What the heck happened while I was asleep?‘ she wondered.

Zinnia glanced around in bewilderment. Victor was beaming at her. Layla flashed her an enthusiastic thumbs- up, and even Devin, who was usually so stoic, wore a faint smile.

Zinnia had absolutely no idea what was going on. She was completely lost.

“What’s happening?” Zinnia asked hesitantly as she and Yannis took seats by the hospital bed.

‘Why am I even here, mixed up in their family affairs?‘ she thought.

“Zinnia, is there anything you desire? Just name it. If you want the stars in the sky, I will have Yannis fetch them for you,” James smiled warmly at Zinnia, who sat there a bit stiffly.

“Your promise? Why am I the one who has to do it?” Yannis shot James an annoyed glare,

James eavesdropped on their conversation in the middle of the night, and now James was trying to pawn him

off as a reward.

“I’m getting on in years. I might not be around much longer,” James said. “The doctor says I shouldn’t stress myself out. Can’t you do me a favor and show Zinnia our gratitude?”

James snorted.

“Gratitude?” Zinnia still didn’t get it.

12:30 Sun, Oct 12 A

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and turning half the night, her mind was still foggy. She just couldn’t connect

them has finally been cleared

back, “Who told

lifted his chin. “Misunderstanding? What

hold your head up so high. The doctor said you’ve just woken up, so no

talked things out? You’re

his heart racing with

thought, finally catching on, ‘So that’s it. James and

glance at Victor’s dramatic tone and then turned

your

a hospital bed and still thinking about

was, stuck

his condition required at least six months of complete rest

always turned the place

not like I can’t move. I don’t care. You have

was just

you celebrated your birthday at home. Dad just wants

father–son duo with amusement, he voiced

birthday at home since he went abroad at the age of 21. After two years away, he only returned

son was finally back, James longed for

them, James could no longer keep up his stern fatherly facade and couldn’t help

Yannis would never truly

birthdays I

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Chapter 485

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and suddenly feeling self–conscious about

at the

do it at the Perkins Manor.

Yannis agreed, James broke into a broad smile. Then he turned to

Zinnia

celebrate at the Perkins Manor,” said

Layla and I will clear our schedules and help out in person. We’ll make sure to decorate properly. It’s been ages since Yannis last

and said, “Make it

balloons when he was little,” Victor said with a

of balloons.”

order a cake. Should we go for something elaborate or just keep it simple? Actually, never mind. We’ll decide after talking to

asked, “Yannis, which friends should we contact? We

once did anyone ask Yannis

everyone chatted about Yannis’s birthday plans. Maybe it was the lack of sleep, but she couldn’t help yawning quietly, feeling even more out of place in the lively

bed, while Devin and the others stood in