When Love is a Question Mark
Chapter 25: Samuel’s confession

Chapter 25: Samuel’s confession

Samuel pulled into the driveway, gripping the steering wheel tightly. His heart raced as he turned off the car and sat there for a moment, taking a deep breath.

He had been thinking about this moment since earlier—how he would tell Zinnia what he truly felt. It wasn’t just about love; it was about making things right between them. Three years of distance, awkwardness, and uncertainty had left a heavy weight on their relationship. But now, Samuel knew he couldn’t keep running from it.

"I need to be honest," he muttered to himself, his eyes fixed on the door of their house. "I can’t hold back anymore."

He had rehearsed the words a hundred times in his mind. He wanted to tell her how much he regretted the way things had turned out, how he had shut her out, and how sorry he was for not being the partner she deserved. But most of all, he needed to let her know that he loved her.

Getting out of the car, Samuel walked toward the front door, his mind replaying everything he wanted to say. He’d start by being honest. No more walls, no more coldness. Just the truth. He practiced the words in his head again, thinking about how Zinnia might react.

"I know I’ve made a lot of mistakes," Samuel planned to say. "I didn’t know how to be the partner you needed, and I’m sorry for all the times I pushed you away. But the truth is, I love you, Zinnia. I always have, even if I didn’t show it the right way."

He paused, imagining her reaction. Would she be angry? Sad? Or worse—indifferent?

He shook his head, trying to clear his mind. "No, I can’t think like that," he thought. "I just need to tell her the truth and hope she’ll understand."

Samuel rehearsed more of what he wanted to say as he approached the door. "I’ve spent too long pretending to be strong and acting like nothing bothers me. But it does. I miss you, Zinnia. I miss the way things were, or at least the way I hoped they would be. I don’t want us to be like this anymore. I want us to be happy together."

He could see it in his head—the way Zinnia’s face might soften, the way she might finally let down her own guard and let him in. He wanted to believe that things could change, that they could find the connection they’d been missing for so long.

He wanted to believe she would still choose to be with him even with James trying to pull them apart.

"I don’t want to lose you," he planned to say in his final words. "You mean too much to me. I’ll fight for us, for our future. I’ll do whatever it takes to make this work, Zinnia. Please, just give me one more chance."

As he reached for the door handle, his heart pounded in his chest. He wasn’t sure what would happen, but he knew he had to try. He owed it to Zinnia—and to himself.

Samuel stepped inside, calling out softly, "Zinnia?"

The place was quiet—too quiet. He walked further in, his footsteps echoing through the empty rooms. The living room was neat, the kitchen spotless—nothing was out of place, but there was no sign of Zinnia. His heart sank as he moved toward her bedroom door. He knocked, hoping for a response. "Zinnia, are you in there?"

Silence.

He slowly turned the doorknob and pushed the door open, but the room was empty. The bed was made, her things untouched. His stomach twisted. She wasn’t here.

Samuel walked back into the hallway, anxiety creeping in. "Zinnia, where are you?" he called out louder, his voice breaking the stillness. He quickly searched the rest of the house, checking every room and every corner. But she was nowhere to be found.

A sudden thought flashed through his mind: Did she go to her parents’ house?

He grabbed his phone and quickly dialed Zinnia’s mother. His hands trembled slightly as he listened to the ringing.

"Hello?" Elena, Zinnia’s mother, answered after a few rings.

"Mom, is Zinnia there?" Samuel asked, his voice tight with worry.

There was a brief pause on the other end. "No, Samuel. She’s not here. Is everything all right?"

Samuel rubbed the back of his neck, trying to keep his voice steady. "Yeah, I just... I thought maybe she came by. Thanks, Mom."

"Are you sure everything’s okay?" Elena asked, her tone full of concern.

"I’ll be fine," Samuel lied. "Thanks again."

As he hung up the phone, his mind raced. Why didn’t she go to her parents? Where could she be?

He quickly dialed Zinnia’s number, hoping to hear her voice, but the phone just kept ringing. No answer. His chest tightened. Is she ignoring me? Does she not want to talk to me?

Unable to shake the feeling that something was wrong, Samuel decided to send her a message.

But as he opened his phone, he noticed an unread message from Zinnia. His heart pounded as he opened it, her words staring back at him:

"Samuel, I have something to tell you. I’ll wait for you at home."

His breath caught in his throat. She was waiting for me... but now she’s gone. What happened?

Samuel stared at the message, trying to piece together what might have happened. The sense of urgency gripped him harder. He needed to find her—he couldn’t lose her, not now.

Samuel’s anxiety only grew. He tried calling Zinnia again, but it still went straight to voicemail. Feeling a rush of frustration and concern, he quickly typed a reply:

"Zinnia, I’m on my way. I need to talk to you. Please, where are you?"

He hit send and took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing thoughts. Without wasting any more time, he drove to Zinnia’s parents’ house. The journey felt endless, each minute stretching out as he imagined the worst.

When he arrived at her parents’ home, he ran to the door and knocked urgently.