After discovering his parents' divorce and witnessing how his so-called friends treated Zinnia, Samuel made a firm decision to let her go. He began distancing himself, acting cold and indifferent, hoping she would eventually choose to leave him.
Every time his friends spread rumors about Zinnia, especially lies that painted her in a negative light, he felt a deep sense of helplessness. It ate away at him, making him think that perhaps it would be better for her to walk away, to leave behind the pain and humiliation.
In his world, every action had consequences. These "friends" of his weren't just social companions; they were also business partners. Connections were everything. A single misstep, an act of defiance, could jeopardize alliances and push them toward rival companies. It was a delicate balance of power that Samuel had to maintain, no matter the cost.
So, he chose silence. He stayed quiet, not out of indifference, but out of fear. Fear that if he defended Zinnia, it would only draw more attention to her, subjecting her to even greater ridicule. The frustration gnawed at him, watching them target her while he stood by, doing nothing. But what could he do? Fighting back would only worsen her situation.
Deep down, he made a vow. One day, when he had enough power and influence, he would right these wrongs. He would crush those who had hurt her. But for now, all he could do was endure, and hope she would understand.
Despite everything, there was one thing Samuel couldn't wrap his mind around—why did Zinnia always choose to stay? Why did she keep choosing to remain by his side, even when he treated her with such coldness, and his friends treated her so cruelly?
Samuel sighed in frustration. Why did Zinnia allow herself to be treated that way? Why didn't she just break up with him? It would be easier, less painful.
He even considered spreading a rumor that she had dumped him, hoping it would take some of the pressure off her. The idea of the news circulating about Zinnia leaving him felt oddly comforting. It seemed better that way.
"Should I just do that? Spread a rumor that she dumped me because I was a jerk?" he muttered to himself, another sigh escaping his lips.
His reverie was abruptly interrupted when his secretary, Timmy, informed him, "Sir, your meeting will start in 15 minutes."
"Wait! What day is today?" Samuel asked, snapping back to reality.
"Sir, today is Friday, and your clients are waiting in the boardroom," Timmy replied.
"No! Inform them I have something important to attend to and that I'll be available in an hour," Samuel ordered, suddenly agitated.
Timmy was speechless. What could be more important than this meeting? "But Sir, isn't the meeting important?" he asked hesitantly.
"Go, hurry and inform them. It will be Goddess Zia's livestream soon. I can't miss it."
"But Sir..." Timmy tried to reason with him, but Samuel cut him off.
"Who needs this cooperation more, them or us?" Samuel asked, as if reading Timmy's mind.
"Sir, it's them who badly want this cooperation," Timmy answered, still confused.
"Then it's settled. Go and tell them about the delay. Also, come back soon and log in to your account. Goddess Zia's livestream is about to start," Samuel urged.
"Yes, Sir!" Timmy hurried over to the boardroom to inform the clients about the delay.
As he walked, he couldn't help but think,The meeting is delayed because my boss is busy simping over his fiancée, or rather, his 'Goddess Zia.'
Timmy remembered how it all started on the night after Samuel and Zinnia's engagement party. Zinnia's identity as the famous painter Zia_L was revealed to the public, and her social media accounts exploded with new fans and followers.
Samuel, upon learning this, immediately created a fan page account called "Zia's Little Flowers" under an alias—"Mr. Sunshine." Not only did he create the page, but he also appointed himself as the President of the fan club, and he insisted that Timmy become the Vice President. Together, they recruited others to join the fan club.
Timmy was utterly speechless when he received a message from his boss with a link, instructing him to join and make an alternate account. When he clicked on the link, it led him to a webpage filled with pictures of Zinnia's paintings, each accompanied by detailed descriptions and interpretations.
What shocked him even more was the name of the fan page creator—Mr. Sunshine. Of all the names, this one? Timmy thought. With that cold personality of his, this is totally the opposite!
"So, if Zinnia is a flower and Sir Samuel is Mr. Sunshine, what should my alt name be?" Timmy pondered.
After a few minutes of contemplation, he decided, "I'll just be Tiny_Grasshopper, a tiny creature lost in the garden. I hope Mr. Sunshine doesn't burn me."
The fan page quickly gained members, and Zinnia's fan club, Zia's Little Flowers, became instantly famous. The club contacted Zinnia and arranged a deal to create limited merchandise featuring her paintings, which would be given exclusively to her most loyal fans—those who were always active and attended her art exhibits and livestreams.
Zinnia quickly transformed into an internet celebrity, and her fan club grew even more popular. Remembering all this, Timmy could only shake his head at his boss's secret obsession, unknown to the public.
After informing the clients about the meeting delay, Timmy hurried back to the office.
As soon as he entered, Samuel urged him, "Come on, hurry up! The livestream is about to start."
"Yes, Sir," Timmy replied, resigning himself to the situation.
As he logged in, he saw his boss's messages in the chat:
Mr. Sunshine: Can't wait for our Goddess Zia to showcase her talent to us.
Mr. Sunshine: I'm so excited for this livestream. Not every day do we get a glimpse of her.
Mr. Sunshine: Goddess Zia, all your paintings are masterpieces.
Timmy could never get used to this side of Samuel. Who would have thought his boss had this side to him?
Soon, Zia_L greeted everyone on the livestream, "Hello, everyone, especially my favorite Little Flowers out there. Thank you so much for the support. Oh, Mr. Sunshine is here again, as early as usual. Thank you for the flowers you send to my art gallery every week. My curator and I love them, and the people who visit my gallery do too."