When Love is a Question Mark-Chapter 95: Undecided

As the plane began its descent, Samuel’s mind was far from calm. He stared out the window, watching the clouds drift by, but his thoughts were tangled and heavy.

Should he tell Zinnia what had happened? How they had almost found someone who looked like James, only to have hope slip away again? He wasn’t sure.

Part of him wanted to keep it from her. What good would it do to drag her back into this mess of confusion and uncertainty? She had been through enough—holding on to hope, only for it to be snatched away. If he told her about Marlo, she’d ask for every detail, wanting to know why someone who looked so much like James was at that villa. More questions would follow, and Samuel didn’t have the answers.

His jaw tightened. He didn’t want to see that hurt in her eyes, the way she would look at him, expecting something he couldn’t give.

But another part of him knew that hiding this could be a mistake. Zinnia wasn’t someone who could be protected by lies or half-truths. She was strong and stubborn, and if she found out he was hiding something—especially about James—she would feel betrayed.

He closed his eyes, leaning back against the seat. It was exhausting, trying to decide what was right. No matter which choice he made, someone would get hurt.

He remembered her voice from their last call, the relief she felt knowing he was coming home. For a moment, he almost believed things could go back to normal. They could sit down for breakfast, talk casually, and pretend everything was fine.

But nothing was fine. James’s shadow loomed over them, a ghost that wouldn’t disappear. Samuel didn’t know how much longer he could keep up this act, pretending to be unaffected, acting like everything was under control.

If he told her the truth, he’d have to see her face fall, watch that flicker of hope disappear again. She would want to dig deeper, search for answers, and Samuel wasn’t sure if he had the strength to give them to her.

He glanced at Timmy, who was sleeping soundly in the seat next to him. Timmy had done his best, trying to find answers and offering his help. But in the end, they were left with more confusion and more questions.

Samuel’s fingers tapped restlessly against the armrest. What if he told Zinnia, and she insisted on going to the villa? What if seeing Marlo, a man who wasn’t James but looked so much like him, only hurt her more?

It didn’t make sense. Why did Marlo look like James? Samuel himself resembled James, too. Why were there so many people out there with the same face?

He sighed, his breath unsteady. Maybe it would be better to say nothing, let her hold on to the small bit of peace she had. But that wouldn’t be fair. Zinnia deserved the truth, even if it was painful.

As the plane touched down, Samuel still hadn’t made a decision. All he knew was that, whatever he chose, there would be consequences. He just hoped he could find the right words—the ones that wouldn’t break her heart all over again.

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When Samuel’s message finally arrived, Zinnia let out a long breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. Relief washed over her. He was on his way back.

She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, trying to calm herself. She needed to get ready for work. Today was a busy day at Lopez Digital Studios—voice rehearsals for their upcoming movie project, Seas of Deception. She had been looking forward to it all week.

In the kitchen, she brewed herself a cup of coffee, letting the aroma fill the space. She placed a couple of slices of bread in the toaster, waiting for the familiar click. As the toast popped up, she spread a thin layer of butter over each slice, the warmth melting it instantly. It was a simple breakfast, but it was comforting, something to keep her steady.

Sitting down at the table, she took a sip of her coffee, savoring the bitter warmth. Samuel would be home soon. She could ask him about his trip, maybe even manage a normal conversation. She missed that—just talking without everything feeling so heavy.

After finishing her toast, Zinnia went back upstairs to take a shower and get dressed. She chose a light blue blouse and a pair of dark slacks, something comfortable but professional. She checked her reflection, smoothing out her hair, and grabbed her bag.

The morning air was crisp as she stepped outside, locking the door behind her. She made her way to her car, letting her mind drift to the day’s work. The movie project had been a bright spot for her, a chance to focus on something other than the chaos her personal life had become.

When she arrived at Lopez Digital Studios, the buzz of activity greeted her. She parked and walked through the lobby, giving a quick nod to the receptionist. The familiar environment made her shoulders relax a little. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

She headed straight to the rehearsal room, where the production crew and cast were gathered. The room was filled with a quiet anticipation, actors flipping through their scripts, adjusting their voices, and getting ready to bring the characters to life.

Zinnia found her spot near the front, where she could observe everything. She exchanged a few quick words with the production crew and with Marcos, who was actually the director of the project.

Her excitement grew. She couldn’t wait to hear how the actors would read their lines, how they would bring depth and emotion to the characters she had grown so attached to during the project.

Unknown to Zinnia, this movie was actually planned by her father to train her. Ricardo, her father, was just waiting for the right time for Zinnia to agree to work, and when she did, he would let her handle this project to gain hands-on experience in creating a movie along with Marcos, his assistant.