CHAPTER 92: CHAPTER 92: HE’S SENDING HER A WEDDING INVITATION

Zinnia Lawrence came out of the bathroom. Instead of returning to the private room, she took a breather by an artificial mountain in the deserted courtyard. She looked up, but the city’s sky was shrouded in a haze of dim lights, and she couldn’t find a single star.

Just as she was getting bored, an intrusive voice sounded from behind her. "Zinnia? What are you doing here?"

Zinnia turned to see Crystal Sutton and Katherine Rhodes standing arm in arm just a couple of steps away, looking for all the world like a real mother and daughter. She frowned slightly. She had only stepped outside for some air because she’d overheard Crystal telling Mandy Lowe they were going back to their room to eat.

If I’d known I would run into them here of all places, I would’ve just sent Nathan Nash a WeChat message and left by myself.

She gave Katherine Rhodes a polite nod. "I was having dinner with friends. We just finished, so I was about to leave."

She moved to walk past them, but Katherine’s stern voice stopped her. "Stay put!"

Since they were blocking her path, Zinnia had no choice but to stop. "Is there something else?"

Katherine frowned. "Have you forgotten your manners? You see an elder and don’t even know how to address them?"

Zinnia found this ridiculous. Jenson Forrest and Crystal Sutton are already discussing marriage, and Katherine still expects me to act like the submissive little daughter-in-law she could mold and scold at will?

"My apologies," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "How should I be addressing you now?"

"What kind of attitude is that!" Katherine’s face contorted with anger as she raised her hand to slap Zinnia.

Zinnia caught her wrist mid-air. "My attitude reflects yours. Is that so hard to understand?"

Katherine’s face turned livid, but Crystal quickly stepped in to hold her back. "Auntie, please calm down. Zinnia, Auntie has been worried sick about Eighth’s health, and she hasn’t been feeling well herself. Could you please not upset her on purpose? She’s an elder, after all. I know you’re upset because you saw me with Auntie, but if you have any anger, please direct it at me."

Katherine pulled her hand free and took Crystal’s, patting it affectionately. "Crystal here is considerate and sensible. She’s poised and understands what’s important. Only someone like her is worthy of Jenson, qualified to be the young mistress of the Forrest family." As she spoke, she shot Zinnia a look of pure displeasure.

Crystal blushed but still managed to flash Zinnia a smug, victorious glance.

Zinnia watched them with cold amusement and let out a soft laugh. "So all that fawning and flattery only gets her a ’qualified’ grade? The way you two act like a real mother-daughter pair, I would’ve thought she’d at least earned a perfect score."

Katherine sneered. "That’s because I don’t want her to get arrogant. Crystal has plenty of room to grow, and I’ll teach her everything she needs to know once she marries in. At least she isn’t a hopeless case like you, scoring negative points after all the years I spent trying to teach you!"

Zinnia had no desire to get into it with them. "Right, right," she nodded placatingly. "May I go now?"

Her unbothered and indifferent attitude only made Katherine and Crystal more uncomfortable. Katherine’s frown deepened. "Jenson and Crystal are preparing for their engagement. Jenson has already invested three hundred million in the Sutton Group as a betrothal gift. I’m here tonight to meet Crystal’s parents and discuss the arrangements. I don’t care why you’re here, but I’m warning you—do not cause any trouble!"

From Katherine’s tone, it was obvious she suspected Zinnia had intentionally followed them to cause a scene.

Zinnia looked down, a self-deprecating smirk touching her lips. When she looked up again, her smile was bright and cheerful. "You’ve really misunderstood. My friends are still waiting for me in The Sunstone’s private room; you can go check if you don’t believe me. I have no interest in ruining anyone’s engagement. In fact, I sincerely hope you both get exactly what you want tonight."

With that, Zinnia tried to leave again, but Crystal suddenly grabbed her arm. "Zinnia, do you really wish me and Jenson well?"

Zinnia was beyond annoyed, but she smiled and nodded without a flicker of hesitation. "Blessings, of course! My sincerest blessings! I urge you two to lock it down at once. And don’t forget to send me an invitation."

Not that I’d ever go. I’ve had more than enough of being Mrs. Forrest. Since Crystal covets the title so much, let her have it. I wish her a speedy transformation into Katherine’s ’perfect’ daughter-in-law.

Just as Zinnia was thinking this, Crystal let go of her arm, bit her lip, and said in a soft voice, "Jenson... why are you out here?"

Zinnia’s back went rigid. She instinctively turned her head and saw Jenson Forrest’s elegant, upright figure standing under a covered walkway not far away. The light from the revolving lanterns cast shifting shadows across his face, obscuring his eyes. But Zinnia knew he was staring right at her. A sharp pain suddenly pierced her heart, and her throat felt constricted, making it difficult to breathe.

"Excuse me, I need to go," she said hastily, trying to leave. However, with Crystal and Katherine blocking the path by the artificial mountain, she was trapped.

By then, Jenson had already walked over.

"You were out for so long, I was getting worried," the man said to Katherine as he approached, before his gaze shifted to Crystal. "Are you feeling better after getting some air?"

Crystal tilted her head up, a sweet smile on her face. "I feel much better. Jenson, do you think pregnant women are a huge hassle? I can’t even stand the smell of fish or alcohol."

Her expression was flirtatious, and Jenson looked down at her with a faint smile. "Not at all. I’ve already told the staff to remove the wine and seafood so you won’t be uncomfortable again. It’s getting chilly out here. Let’s go back inside."

Crystal nodded obediently. Katherine smiled, gratified, and said to Crystal, "See? My clueless, unromantic son is finally learning how to take care of someone."

"Auntie..." Crystal blushed, then glanced at Zinnia, who had been completely ignored. "Jenson, we just happened to run into Zinnia. Should we invite her to join us...?"

Only then did Jenson’s gaze shift coolly toward Zinnia. It was a fleeting glance, as if he were looking at an unimportant stranger, before he looked away. His voice was like shattered ice. "She just said she was leaving, didn’t she? Don’t hold her up. We just have to make sure we don’t forget to send her an invitation when the time comes."

Katherine immediately took Crystal by one arm and Jenson by the other. "That’s right, let’s hurry back before the food gets cold. Crystal can’t eat cold things now that she’s pregnant. Jenson, you should come with your mother and me to Crystal’s prenatal checkup tomorrow, alright?"

"Alright, I will."

They walked away as they talked, leaving Zinnia standing alone.

She was still leaning against the artificial mountain and had unknowingly pressed her hand so hard against the jagged rocks that deep imprints were left on her palm. A dull pain spread through her body.

Zinnia snatched her hand back, took a deep breath, and pulled out her phone. She began typing a WeChat message to Nathan Nash to let him know she was leaving as she walked toward the restaurant’s entrance.

I just need to go home.

The evening rush was beginning, and it was hard to hail a taxi. After sending the message, Zinnia walked out of the restaurant, her head bowed as she tried to book a car on a ride-sharing app. Suddenly, she collided with someone, knocking their phone to the ground.

"Watch where you’re going!" the man grumbled.

Assuming it was her fault for not looking, Zinnia instinctively apologized. "I’m so sorry..." She bent down to help pick up the phone, but an arm suddenly grabbed her and yanked her upright.

Frowning, Zinnia looked up to see a drunk middle-aged man.

"Hey, little lady, you smashed my phone. You think a simple ’sorry’ is enough? Show some sincerity. The least you can do is have a drink with me. Come on, let’s go inside."

Before Zinnia could react, he had already dragged her a few steps. She struggled fiercely. "Let go of me! I’ll call the police!"

"Call the police? For what? You broke my property, so you owe me a drink. That’s perfectly fair! The cops can’t do anything about it!"

The man’s companions scooped the phone with the cracked screen off the ground. They began to shove and push her, trying to force Zinnia into a nearby private room. Her own phone was snatched from her hand. Just as she was about to scream, a hand reached out to cover her mouth. As Zinnia twisted her head away, her eyes met a familiar, cold, deep gaze.

Jenson Forrest was standing just a few steps away, coldly watching the entire scene unfold.