Chapter 55: Good morning
The next morning arrived quietly, soft light filtering through the windows. Zinnia woke up early, stretching and blinking at the ceiling. It wasn’t her usual habit, but sothing about the day felt different. She got out of bed, pulled on a sweater, and headed for the door.
To her surprise, Samuel stepped out of his room at the sa mont. They t in the hallway, both clearly not expecting to see each other so early. Zinnia’s eyebrows shot up, and Samuel paused mid-step, equally startled.
"Good morning," Zinnia greeted him with a faint smile, trying to shake off the awkwardness.
Samuel nodded, his usual composed expression softening just a little. "Morning."
They stood there for a mont in the quiet house. Without another word, they both made their way toward the kitchen. The silence wasn’t tense, but there was sothing hanging in the air—an unspoken acknowledgnt that they were still figuring out whatever this was between them.
As they entered the kitchen, Samuel glanced at her and asked, "What do you want for breakfast?"
Zinnia leaned against the counter, a teasing smile curling on her lips. "What do you want to make for breakfast?"
Samuel raised an eyebrow but then smirked, shaking his head slightly. "Just sit down. I’ll handle it."
Surprised but pleased, Zinnia shrugged and moved to the dining table, sitting down to watch him. Internally, she marveled at the scene. A morning with a handso man cooking for , she thought, trying not to let her thoughts show. Definitely a different kind of good morning.
Samuel moved around the kitchen with practiced ease, pulling out ingredients and setting up a simple yet thoughtful al.
She rested her chin on her hand, watching him quietly. There was sothing calming in the way he moved—focused yet relaxed. She realized she had rarely seen him like this, not entirely in "work mode," but just... present.
Soon enough, Samuel placed two plates of scrambled eggs, toast, and bacon on the table. It was simple, but the aroma was inviting. He sat down across from her, handing her a fork.
"Hope this is okay," he said, finally eting her eyes with a small smile.
"It’s perfect," Zinnia replied, taking a bite and savoring the warmth of the food.
They ate in comfortable silence, enjoying the al together. It wasn’t grand or dramatic, but for so reason, it felt special. She glanced at him between bites, appreciating the rare peaceful mont.
"So," Zinnia began, breaking the silence. "What’s your plan for today?"
"The usual," Samuel answered, taking a sip of coffee. "etings, reports... nothing too exciting."
Zinnia nodded, feeling a little more at ease. "I might go out today," she said, sounding more animated. "I’m thinking of hanging out with Lily. We haven’t done that in years, and I really miss spending ti with her."
Samuel looked up at her, noticing the way her face lit up when she ntioned her best friend. He couldn’t help but feel happy seeing her that way. "That sounds nice," he said softly. "Have fun."
"I will," Zinnia smiled, finishing the last bite of her breakfast. "Good luck with work too."
"Thanks," he replied, standing up to clear the dishes. They moved around the kitchen quietly, both lost in their thoughts as they prepared for their separate days.
Once everything was cleaned up, they went off to get ready. Zinnia headed to her room, excited for her day with Lily. Samuel, on the other hand, slipped on his suit jacket, already shifting his mind back to work mode.
Before leaving the house, Samuel got into his car and picked up his phone, dialing Timmy’s number. The line rang once before his assistant answered.
"Timmy, did you assign the bodyguards I requested for Zinnia?" Samuel’s voice was low but firm.
"Yes, sir," Timmy replied promptly. "They’re already in place."
Samuel leaned back in his seat, glancing in the rearview mirror. "Make sure they stay at a distance. I don’t want them invading her privacy, but I want to know she’s safe. She’s planning to go out with her friend today, so keep an eye on things."
"Understood. We’ll make sure she’s protected," Timmy reassured him.
Samuel exhaled slowly, relieved. "Good. Let
know if anything cos up."
"Will do."
The call ended, and Samuel sat there for a mont, staring out the windshield. He didn’t want to smother Zinnia with overprotectiveness, but ever since those threats had co to light, he couldn’t shake the feeling that soone was watching them, waiting for the right mont. He wasn’t going to take any chances.
With that thought in mind, Samuel started the car and drove towards the office, his focus already shifting back to the problems waiting for him at work.
He had a mountain of tasks ahead, but at the top of his list was finding out who was trying to undermine him. Soone had been working behind the scenes, pulling strings, setting traps, and today, he intended to dig deeper.
By the ti he reached his office, Samuel was fully in work mode. He walked through the glass doors, nodding at a few employees as they greeted him.
Once inside his private office, he sat down at his desk, flipping through the stack of docunts that had piled up. His eyes scanned each page, searching for anything that might give him a clue—a na, a suspicious transaction, anything.
For hours, Samuel pored over the files, reviewing every detail with precision. Whoever was behind this had covered their tracks well, but there had to be sothing they missed. He wasn’t going to let them slip through his fingers.
As the morning passed, his phone buzzed with updates, etings, and reminders. But in the back of his mind, he couldn’t stop thinking about Zinnia. He hoped she was enjoying her ti with Lily, smiling and carefree, far from the shadows that seed to surround his world.
But even with that hope, Samuel knew he couldn’t relax. Not yet. Not until he found out who was working to bring him down—and why.
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