Chapter 44 — Revealing Something... Almost?

Clave.

Looking.

I was looking for Zinnia, yet there was no sign of her.

She wasn’t even in her room. In fact, Draven came knocking on my door because he woke up in the middle of his slumber and didn't find anyone next to him.

I put him back to sleep and came out to search for Zinnia.

At first, I decided to go to Maya's room. Maybe she got caught up chatting with her mom. Although, there she said that Zinnia stormed out of her room in anger, which was really unusual. Zinnia was in such a good mood. What happened that made her so mad? Maya didn't tell me the reason, and I didn't push her because the topic seemed sensitive.

Zinnia's disappearance was making me worry more about her.

I even inquired with the security guard, but he told me no one had left the mansion. Where could she have gone then?

While looking for her around the mansion, I heard something crash from the bar area. Who could be there? Maybe Ryker or Dad getting a drink? I wouldn't be surprised if I found either of them there. But I still decided to check that place—just in case Zinnia was there.

As soon as I stepped inside the bar, I saw Zinnia with a glass bottle in her hand, sitting on the bar stool and humming a quiet song to herself. There was a broken empty bottle of alcohol on the floor as well.

My eyes grew as wide as saucers.

I rushed to Zinnia and snatched the bottle away from her. "What the hell are you doing, kid?"

Zinnia turned to me and smiled widely. She got up from her seat, stumbling a little, and wrapped her arms around me. "Aww, I was just thinking about you! I love it when you call me this. Do you have any idea how much I have missed hearing this from your mouth?"

"Are you drunk, Zi—" she immediately placed her index finger over my lips.

"Shhh… Instead of talking with our mouths, why don't we just let our bodies do it? You know, sex can express a lot of things, Clave. And there is so much it can say for the two years we lost with each other."

I gaped at her words. Yes, she was definitely drunk. She had no idea what she was saying.

Biting her bottom lip, she left her finger from my lips and started trailing her finger down from my cheek. She stopped after she reached my Adam's apple, making me gulp.

"Am I being unfair to you, Clave?" she almost whispered.

"Right now? Yes. You aren't letting me talk properly," I let out.

She chuckled and shook her head. "I wish you knew what I was talking about, Clave."

"Are you talking about sex? Because if it is, you have already said it to me and I'm saying no."

"How can a guy say no to sex?" She pouted, sounding disappointed.

"Well, a guy should when the partner isn’t in their sober mind."

"You are such a gentleman, and I find it so hot. Did you know that, Clave?" She grinned.

"You are drunk and yet you can attempt to flirt. Wow," I said in disbelief.

"C'mon, tell me, Clave. Do you know you are really hot?" she insisted.

"Forget that. Let's put you to bed now. Come now." I tried to grab her hand, but she pulled it away.

"I don't want to go!" She was about to step on the broken glass, but I pulled her back to myself, making her crash against my chest.

"Careful!" When she looked up at me, I said, "There are broken pieces of glass. Do you want to get injured?"

She shook her head almost immediately. "I don't want to get injured. Ask why." This time, she started playing with the buttons on my shirt.

I took a deep breath and asked, "Why?"

"Because my boyfriend gets worried even if I get a tiny injury," she uttered as surely as possible, suddenly forgetting my identity. Her cute tone made my heart flutter.

"Is that so?" I arched an eyebrow playfully. "Your boyfriend seems to care a lot about you."

She nodded like an adorable baby. "He does. He cares for my son just as much. I will never find anyone like him."

"I'm sure he will never find anyone like you, either."

"Can I tell you a secret?" she whispered once again.

"What secret?" I whispered back.

"I think… I think—I am not sure, okay? It will be embarrassing if I am wrong."

"You don't have to worry about that. I am listening," I told her.

"I think… he also loves me," as soon as she murmured that, I froze in my place.

She felt that I loved her? It was true, of course, but what did she mean by also?

"Hey," her voice brought me out of my trance. "Are you even listening to me?"

"Yes, but who is this boyfriend of yours? May I know his name?" It was free entertainment seeing a drunken Zinnia.

"His name is Clave," she leaned in and whispered into my ear like it was a big secret.

"What does this Clave do? I mean, what does he do for a living?"

This was the perfect time to see whether she would reveal my profession to others in a drunken state in the future or not. I knew that in her sober mind, she would never.

"He is helping me with my business. Besides, he is the senator's son. What else does he need to do to earn?" her response made me grin.

This woman—I could trust her blindly. Now that we had cleared everything between us, our bond became even stronger than before.

"Oh, wait. I want to have one last sip of the drink," she said all of a sudden, making me glare at her. "One last small sip. Please?"

Don't melt, Clave!

I shook my head and said strictly, "No."

She batted her eyelashes and requested again, "Pleaseeeeee."

If someone said please so cutely, how long could I deny it? Especially when it was my girlfriend whom I was getting back after two years.

Slumping my shoulders in defeat, I said, "Fine. Only one last sip." What harm could one last sip do when she had chugged down almost two entire bottles?

She jumped in excitement and took the bottle from the table. She started gulping down in one go.

I rushed to her and snatched the bottle away from her again. "Is that what you call one sip?" I confronted her.

She frowned. "Isn't it, though?"

"No, it's not. You are done now. Can we go and sleep now?" I asked sternly.

She pouted her lips. "Fine."

I started walking with our hands entwined, but she stayed glued to her place.

I sighed and turned to her. "Now what happened, Zinnia?"

"I want you to carry me in your arms and take me to your bedroom. I don't want to move my legs."

I couldn't help but chortle. "You want to sleep in my bed?"

She nodded obediently.

"Where will I sleep then?"

"I don’t know."

"You know, I don't sleep anywhere else apart from my bed," I clearly lied, but she wasn't in her right mind to understand that. It was fun.

She twitched her lips and thought for a while. I just had a straight face the entire time she was thinking.

"We can sleep in the same bed then," she said casually after a few minutes.

I raised my eyebrows, trying to sound serious. "Are you okay with it?"

"Yes!"

"Very well then," I muttered and went to carry her in bridal style.

Soon, we entered my bedroom.

Finally, I finished putting her to bed.

Of course, I wouldn’t sleep in the same bed as her when she was not in her right mind. How much control could I honestly have if she tried something?

I tugged her with the blanket and kissed her forehead as she closed her eyes. "Good night, baby. I love you." With that, I was about to go, but she grabbed my hand once again.

"Clave, I… I want to tell you something."

"Zinnia, sleep."

"It's about Draven."

She gained my attention the moment she uttered Draven's name. I turned to her, patiently waiting for her to speak further. She was looking at me with slight fear. It was weird.

"It's... Clave... It's..."