CHAPTER 71: CHAPTER 71: ZINNIA LAWRENCE, TIMING IS EVERYTHING WHEN PLAYING MIND GAMES

「The next day.」

Zinnia Lawrence was practicing in the dance studio when her phone, which sat off to the side, began ringing incessantly. She paused to wipe away her sweat and picked it up. It was a call from Katherine Rhodes. Zinnia and Jenson had already signed the divorce agreement. In Zinnia’s heart, Katherine was no longer her mother-in-law.

She didn’t want to answer, so she tossed the phone aside and went back to dancing. However, the phone rang again and again, insistent as a death knell. Frowning, Zinnia finally answered it.

"Zinnia, get to Aethelgard right now and take your mother with you!" Katherine’s furious voice boomed through the phone before she hung up, not giving Zinnia a chance to ask any questions.

Aethelgard wasn’t the main Forrest family estate; it was the city residence where Patrick and Katherine lived.

Zinnia rushed to Aethelgard. When she walked in, she saw Katherine sitting on the sofa, her face livid. Crystal Sutton was right beside her, speaking to her in a soft, soothing voice. Sitting together, they looked more like a real mother and daughter-in-law.

Zinnia walked over. "What happen—"

Before she could finish her question, Katherine shot to her feet and flung the tea from the table directly into Zinnia’s face. The warm tea soaked her hair and face. A few tea leaves clung to her skin, leaving her looking utterly wretched.

"Does the Forrest family owe you something? We let a jinx like you through our doors only for you to bring us shame!"

Zinnia lowered her gaze. Her eyelashes were so soaked she couldn’t open her eyes. The servants all worked for Katherine, so they just watched the spectacle from a distance. No one even offered her a towel.

Crystal sat watching, the corner of her lip twitching into a smirk.

"Let me help you wipe that off, Zinnia." In front of Katherine, she had to maintain her kindhearted act. She pulled out a tissue and stepped toward Zinnia.

But Zinnia’s hand shot out. She grabbed the other teacup from the table and flung its contents at Crystal. "I don’t need your fake kindness!"

Zinnia didn’t believe for a second that Crystal hadn’t had a hand in Katherine’s explosive, unrestrained fury. And Gloria Grant showing up to cause a scene? That was probably Crystal’s handiwork, too. Katherine was an elder, so Zinnia had to endure her abuse. That meant her anger could only be vented on Crystal. Who told her to be so shameless and get involved, anyway?

"AH!" Splashed full in the face, Crystal was suddenly just as pathetic-looking as Zinnia. She cried out, clutching her stomach as she collapsed back onto the sofa.

"Zinnia!" Seeing Crystal stumble and fall, Katherine roared and shot to her feet, raising her hand to slap Zinnia.

A speck of tea leaf fell from her lashes, feeling like it was about to get into her eye. She instinctively closed her eyes to rub it. Unaware of Katherine’s movement, she reacted a half-second too late and felt the rush of air from an approaching hand.

However, the pain never came.

When Zinnia managed to get her eye open again and looked up, she saw a large, familiar hand gripping Katherine’s wrist, stopping the slap in mid-air. Jenson was here.

The cuffs of his shirt were crisp and white, and the metal face of his watch reflected a sharp glint of light. Zinnia felt as if that glint had shot straight into her eye, making it sting and burn. The urge to cry became even stronger.

"Jenson, what do you think you’re doing?! Let go!" Katherine struggled, fuming.

"Mother, what are *you* doing?" Jenson frowned. His gaze swept over Zinnia’s soaked hair and face, and seeing that she wasn’t seriously hurt, he finally let go of his mother’s wrist.

Blocked by her own son, Katherine grew even angrier and pointed a shaking finger at Zinnia. "Look at what she did! I invited Mrs. Cohen, Mrs. Marshall, and a few others over for flower arranging today. And what does she do? She deliberately has that vampire of a mother show up here to cause a scene! Right at our front door, crying and screaming that she couldn’t make ends meet, that her own daughter abandoned her and she couldn’t go on living! I have never been so humiliated in my entire life! If Crystal hadn’t been here to console me, I’d have been rushed to the emergency room with high blood pressure by now!"

Zinnia had already wiped her face, her expression cold as she looked at Katherine. "I didn’t ask her to come. If you find having relatives like that so embarrassing, you could have just had security remove her."

But Katherine hadn’t done that, which was why Gloria Grant had been able to make it all the way to her door. As for why Katherine hadn’t called security, it was just for show. She was worried people would gossip about her being cruel or disowning her poor relations. She couldn’t just have it all—a pristine reputation for herself while forcing Zinnia to take the blame for everything else.

"Jenson, are you hearing this? She dares to talk back to me like that, right in front of you! And just now, Crystal was only trying to show some concern, and she pushed her down! If something happens to the baby in Crystal’s belly, can she take responsibility for that?"

Clutching her stomach, Crystal lay on the sofa looking shaken. Hearing the argument, she spoke in a soft, frail voice. "Don’t worry about me, Mrs. Rhodes. I’m probably fine. Jenson has cared about Zinnia since they were little. Please don’t argue with him because of me. I wouldn’t want to damage your relationship as mother and son."

Just listen to her. So kind, so virtuous, so considerate of Katherine. Moving in her wealthy social circles, Katherine could certainly read between the lines of Crystal’s words, but Crystal was carrying the grandchild she’d been waiting for. Compared to Zinnia, she much preferred Crystal, the true heiress, as a daughter-in-law anyway.

She shot Zinnia a venomous glare before turning to push Jenson. "See how sensible and considerate Crystal is? Don’t let her try to be brave. Hurry and take her to your room to rest. And call a doctor! Her solo recital is tomorrow. Nothing can be allowed to happen to her."

Jenson frowned and looked at Crystal, whose face was pale.

"I’m really fine, I can..." Holding onto the armrest, she tried to stand, but her legs buckled. She clutched her stomach and collapsed back onto the sofa, a fine sheen of cold sweat beading on her forehead.

Jenson had indeed seen Zinnia swing her arm out just before Crystal fell onto the sofa.

He started to step forward, but his arm was suddenly seized by a small, tight grip. He glanced down. Zinnia was looking up at him pitifully, one eye red and watering, the other squeezed shut.

"Jenson, I think I got something in my eye. It really hurts..."

Zinnia wasn’t lying. For some reason, the irritation in her right eye was growing stronger and stronger. The pain was becoming unbearable, but she didn’t dare rub it herself, afraid of making it worse. And here, he was the only person she could ask for help.

Zinnia’s vision was blurry. Jenson just frowned and said coldly, "Zinnia, if you’re going to play tricks, at least pick a better time. Let go."

She had the strength to douse Crystal with tea just a moment ago, but now she can’t even open her eyes?

The man’s voice was deep and stern. A chill washed over Zinnia, and the hand clutching his sleeve loosened and drew back.

She was an absolute fool. Just because he had shielded her from that one slap, she had started to see him as some legendary hero come to her rescue. Just like when they were children. But she had forgotten. Jenson was no longer her protector. Zinnia, you really never learn your lesson, do you?

"Quickly, Jenson, take Crystal to your room! And someone get a doctor!" Katherine shouted, instructing the servants as Jenson strode forward, bent down, and lifted Crystal into his arms.

Jenson walked swiftly toward a room on the east side of the first floor, and Zinnia watched their retreating backs through her stinging eyes.

That was the room Katherine had prepared for Jenson. But because Katherine disliked her, Zinnia rarely came to Aethelgard and had never stayed in Jenson’s room here.

And now, Crystal would be the first one to lie in his bed.

Zinnia’s eyes stung horribly, but she forced them open wider. She wanted to see this scene clearly, to burn it into her memory, to carve it into her heart. How perfect. Today, the heart that still loved him had hardened just a little more.

"Get out of the way! You’re a damn eyesore!" Katherine snapped as she followed, deliberately shoving Zinnia as she passed.

Zinnia stumbled, steadying herself against the wall. Katherine was already past her, haughtily ordering a servant, "Get her and that mother of hers out of here immediately. Such a blight on this house!"

With that, she hurried into the room.

A servant then escorted Zinnia out of the villa and directly to the security office by the gate.

The door swung open to reveal Gloria Grant crouched in a corner, watched closely by two of the Forrest family’s security guards.