Yuri didn’t say a word. He just looked at her, eyes crinkling with a quiet smile, gaze lowered in her direction.
Zinnia felt awkward under that expression. She forced herself to go on, even though her cheeks were burning.
“My mom probably thinks that after my divorce, having someone as amazing as you like me should make me really happy. That’s why she said what she did. I hope you’re not offended.”
To her, Yuri was a lifesaver and a good friend—she didn’t want her mom’s wild assumptions to scare him off.
She kept her eyes down, fumbling for words, rushing to explain—only to be interrupted by Yuri.
“But are you happy?”
Zinnia froze, caught off guard. She looked up at Yuri, startled.
“What?”
“After your divorce from Landon, if I tell you I like you, does that make you happy?” Yuri’s tone was gentle but utterly serious. His question left Zinnia momentarily speechless.
It took her a beat to find her voice. “Are you here to cheer me up too?”
She didn’t wait for his reply. Instead, she gave a short laugh. “Come on, Yuri, you sound just like my mom. It’s just a divorce—it’s not like the world’s ending.”
She looked at him, all sincerity. “Yuri, don’t start in with Mom’s routine. I really don’t care about Landon anymore. I’m not the least bit upset about the divorce.”
Yuri didn’t answer. He just watched Zinnia as she tried so hard to prove she was fine, his gaze distant and a little unfocused.
After a while, he nodded with a small, lopsided smile. “Alright. As long as you’re okay.”
When Yuri didn’t make a big deal out of what her mother had said back in the hospital room, Zinnia finally let herself relax.
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