When Love is a Question Mark-Chapter 222: Unaware Revelation

Once the door closed behind him, Samuel let out a quiet sigh, leaning against it for a moment. His gaze shifted to the adjoining wall, where he knew Zinnia’s room was on the other side.

It was strange, really. They had been living together for over three years, and yet, they had always maintained this distance—separate rooms, separate lives, even in shared spaces.

Still, at least this time, they both seemed to want to grow closer and find happiness together. He could only hope that this trip would help her see him, Samuel, instead of James.

Determined, he resolved to create new, happy memories with Zinnia here—memories that would help her finally move on from James.

Samuel rubbed the back of his neck, shaking his head as if to clear his thoughts. "Focus," he muttered to himself. "You’ve got a wedding to prepare for." 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

He sat on the edge of the bed, the room dimly lit by the soft glow of the lamp beside him. He had just finished unpacking, and exhaustion weighed heavily on his shoulders, but his mind refused to settle.

His eyes moved to his phone, which sat on the nightstand, the quiet hum of notifications pulling him in.

He reached for it, unlocking the screen, and opened the gallery. There, among the photos he’d taken throughout the day, was the one of Zinnia, standing in front of the painting "Beautifully Tragic."

She hadn’t noticed him as he snapped the photo, capturing her serene expression as she studied the artwork. There was something about the way the light hit her hair, the reflection of the painting in the glass, that made the picture feel almost magical.

Samuel’s thumb lingered over the photo, feeling an unexpected sense of pride. She looked beautiful—graceful, like a piece of art herself. The kind of beauty that wasn’t just seen but felt. He couldn’t stop smiling at the thought, and something in him wanted to share it with her fans.

His finger hovered over the screen as he opened the fan page dedicated to Zia_L. As always, the page was filled with posts about her—her art, her latest projects, and the overwhelming love her fans had for her. It was easy for Samuel to get lost in the warmth of the messages, but tonight, he had a different kind of connection in mind.

With a few taps, he uploaded the picture of Zinnia standing before "Beautifully Tragic." His fingers moved quickly as he typed a caption: "Finally managed to see personally with my own eyes our Goddess Zia’s most famous painting, Beautifully Tragic."

He paused for a moment before hitting "post," the words feeling a little more personal than he intended. There was something thrilling about sharing this moment, even if no one but the fans of Zinnia would understand the significance of it. He leaned back against the headboard, setting the phone aside, and closed his eyes.

But the buzz of his phone immediately broke the silence. A flood of notifications poured in, each one faster than the last.

OMG! Mr. Sunshine, I feel so jealous! I wanna see that too, but I don’t have enough money to go abroad.

Woah, isn’t that our Goddess Zia’s back? She’s looking at her painting! How can you be so lucky to capture that moment! Give me some of your luck, Mr. Sunshine.

I’m literally shaking!! Is that really our Goddess Zia? She’s standing in front of her own painting?! Mr. Sunshine, you’re living my dream!

Samuel couldn’t help but chuckle, rolling his eyes with affection. It was exactly what he expected—fan after fan commenting on how lucky he was to see Zinnia in person, to witness the magic of her art firsthand.

But there were other replies, more curious ones.

Mr. Sunshine, did you finally meet face to face with our Goddess Zia? 😱 I badly want to have her autograph.

Are you close with our Goddess Zia, Mr. Sunshine? How do you know her? I need to know everything! Can I be her friend too? 😭

Mr. Sunshine, you’re so lucky. I can only dream of being in the same room as Goddess Zia... I can only be her fan from afar.

Samuel’s heart skipped a beat at the last comment. Her fan from afar. He understood that feeling all too well. Even now, with Zinnia standing so close to him, there were still parts of her that felt unreachable. It was a strange, almost bitter feeling—but at least he could bring her closer to the fans who adored her.

As he scrolled through the replies, he found himself feeling a little more connected to Zinnia, a little more aware of how much she meant to so many people. He tapped on a comment, typing back with a grin.

"You can all be close to her. Our Goddess Zia is kind and grateful to all of you. Keep supporting her as you always have."

He paused, staring at the screen for a moment before adding a simple: "She’s lucky to have such a strong fanbase."

Once he sent the message, he set the phone down again, feeling strangely satisfied by the conversation he had just sparked.

Meanwhile, in her room, Zinnia sat on the edge of her bed, staring out the window at the city lights. Her thoughts were a jumble of emotions—memories of the past, hopes for the future, and the undeniable tension that seemed to linger between her and Samuel.

Her parents, she knew, would never guess the truth. They assumed that after years of living together, she and Samuel had grown close, that their relationship had progressed naturally. But the reality was far more complicated. Surely, they would be shocked if they found out that even now, she and Samuel slept in separate rooms.

She sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Maybe this trip will change things," she murmured to herself. "At least this time, I feel at peace and happy around Samuel."

With that thought, she climbed into bed, pulling the covers over herself as exhaustion finally took over.

But just as she was about to fall asleep, her phone beeped with countless notifications. Curious about what it could be, she picked up her phone and was stunned by what she saw.