When Love is a Question Mark
Chapter 201: Advance the Schedule

Chapter 201: Advance the Schedule

"Good morning," she greeted softly, her voice still a little groggy.

Samuel glanced over his shoulder briefly. "Morning. Coffee’s ready," he said, gesturing toward the pot on the counter.

Zinnia made her way to the cabinet and grabbed a mug. Pouring herself coffee, she leaned against the counter and watched him move around the kitchen effortlessly. "You’re up early," she said, taking a sip of the drink.

"I could say the same to you," he replied, turning off the stove. "Sit. Breakfast is ready."

Zinnia settled at the dining table as Samuel brought over two plates. Scrambled eggs, toast, and sautéed vegetables—simple yet perfectly made. He placed a plate in front of her before sitting down across the table.

"You didn’t have to do all this," Zinnia said, looking down at her food.

"I always do," Samuel replied with his usual calm tone, picking up his fork.

A quiet silence fell between them as they started eating. It wasn’t uncomfortable—just two people sharing a morning routine that had become oddly familiar.

"This is good," Zinnia murmured after a few bites, her voice soft.

Samuel looked up briefly, a flicker of something crossing his face. "Good. You need to eat properly."

Zinnia nodded, her mind still lingering on the events of the previous day. The silence stretched again until Samuel broke it.

"How’s your mom holding up?"

"She’s strong," Zinnia replied, setting her fork down for a moment. "She stayed with Dad last night. She messaged me this morning to say he’s stable."

Samuel nodded. "That’s good to hear."

They finished breakfast quietly, neither in the mood for much conversation. When Zinnia was done, she grabbed her plate and brought it to the sink, but Samuel stopped her.

"Leave it," he said. "I’ll take care of it."

Zinnia hesitated but relented, stepping back as Samuel cleared the table. She watched him for a moment before speaking softly. "Thank you, Sam. For... everything."

He paused briefly, his back to her. "You don’t need to thank me, Zia."

Still, she felt the weight of his quiet actions. They didn’t exchange many words, but his presence was steady and reliable—something she couldn’t deny she appreciated, especially now.

---

After grabbing their bags and coats, they left the house together. The cool morning air felt crisp against Zinnia’s skin as they walked to the car. Samuel, opened the passenger door for her before getting in himself.

The drive was quiet at first, the hum of the car filling the space. Zinnia stared out the window, lost in her thoughts. Samuel glanced at her briefly before speaking.

"Did you sleep okay?"

Zinnia turned to him, offering a faint smile. "I did. You?"

"It was fine."

The short exchange settled into a comfortable silence. Samuel’s steady driving eased some of her lingering tension, and before long, they pulled up in front of Zinnia’s workplace. Samuel shifted the car into park and turned to face her.

"If anything happens, let me know," he said firmly.

Zinnia nodded, clutching her bag. "I will." She hesitated for a moment, then looked at him with soft sincerity. "Thank you again, Sam. I mean it."

His gaze lingered on her for a second, unreadable but gentle. "Take care, Zia."

She stepped out of the car and turned back, waving slightly before walking toward the building. Samuel watched her until she disappeared inside, his expression unreadable as he finally pulled away and drove toward his own office.

---

Zinnia sat at the head of the long conference table in the production office, her face composed but her tone serious. The air was unusually tense, given the unexpected nature of the meeting. Around the table sat the key members of the production crew: Marcos, Katherine Lee, Michael Zhen, and Sophie Tran. Each one exchanged glances, sensing that this wasn’t just any ordinary update.

Marcos, who had been taking notes in a small notebook, looked up at her with concern. "Zinnia, you mentioned this was urgent. What’s going on?"

Zinnia took a deep breath, her hands clasped together on the table. "I called this meeting because I need to discuss something important with all of you. I know we’ve been following a tight schedule already, but..." She paused for a moment, choosing her words carefully. "I wanted to ask if it’s possible to advance the shooting schedule. I need us to finish the film earlier than planned."

The room fell into a momentary silence. Sophie Tran, the producer, frowned slightly and leaned forward. "Advance the schedule? Zinnia, we’re already balancing multiple moving parts—timelines, cast availability, and budget. It’s not impossible, but it’ll be a challenge. May I ask what brought this on?"

Zinnia nodded, her gaze softening. "It’s about my father. He’s been hospitalized."

Katherine Lee’s brows furrowed with concern. "What happened? Is the chairman okay?"

Zinnia exhaled slowly. "He had a heart issue yesterday, and while the doctors say he’s stable for now, they also mentioned that he’ll need time to recover. They’re keeping him at the hospital for at least a month, and if his condition doesn’t improve, he’ll need to undergo heart surgery—likely abroad."

Michael Zhen, who had been quiet up until now, finally spoke up. "That sounds serious, Zinnia. I’m really sorry to hear that."

"Thank you," Zinnia replied softly. "That’s why I wanted to bring this up. This movie... it means so much to my father. He’s invested so much into it—not just as the chairman but as a father supporting my vision. If there’s even the smallest chance he can watch the finished product while he’s still recovering, I want to take it. I can’t bear to think that he might not get to see it."

The weight of her words settled over the room. Katherine leaned back in her chair, nodding slowly as she processed the information. "I understand now. If this is for your father, we’ll find a way."

Marcos, ever the problem-solver, scratched his head thoughtfully. "It’s not ideal, but we can shuffle some of the key scenes forward—at least the ones that don’t rely heavily on post-production effects. I’ll need to coordinate with the set designers and camera crew to ensure we’re ready."