When Love is a Question Mark
Chapter 280: Cutting Ties

Chapter 280: Cutting Ties

Despite the flood of messages and inquiries, Samuel remained unmoved. As he glanced at his phone, a small smirk tugged at the corners of his lips.

Notification after notification came through: messages from his old circle of friends, the ones who had distanced themselves when James’s return was made public. They had criticized him, mocked him, and assumed he’d never be anything more than a placeholder in his father’s company. Now that the tides were turning, they wanted to crawl back into his life.

Samuel’s fingers hovered over the screen as he read the messages. "Let’s talk, Samuel. We want to cooperate again. Let’s forget the past and work together for the future," one message said. Another said, "We made a mistake, we want to fix it. Please reconsider." But Samuel didn’t even flinch. He didn’t need them anymore.

Without a second thought, Samuel tapped his phone and blocked their numbers, one by one. It had been months since he’d left their group chat. The moment James’s true identity had been revealed, they’d made it clear that they no longer cared for Samuel.

And after all the allegations against him and the company these past weeks, they had pulled their investments, severed their ties, and turned their backs when things got hard. To them, Samuel was just a stepping stone. But now? He didn’t need them.

He let out a quiet breath and set his phone down, feeling a sense of finality wash over him. The decision to cut ties with his old friends had been difficult, especially knowing that if they pulled out their investments and ended their partnership, Lucas Realty Group would suffer heavy losses and might even face bankruptcy. Luckily, when that happened, Lily Oceanic Industries stepped in to back him up.

He now felt a sense of freedom, knowing he had finally severed ties with the toxic friends he used to have.

Looking up from his phone, he noticed Lily and Timmy in the living room. The two of them were on the couch, hunched over a game console, laughing and competing in a friendly match.

Samuel smiled to himself, feeling a warmth spread through him that had nothing to do with the news or the business. It was the comfort of home, the reassurance that he wasn’t alone in this world, no matter how complicated things had become.

Zinnia walked in from the kitchen, her hands full with a plate of fresh fruit and glasses of juice. "Here, have some snacks," she said, offering the tray to the two of them.

Lily looked up and grinned. "Thanks, Zinnia!"

Timmy also said, "Thank you."

Zinnia smiled, setting the plate down in front of them. She then turned to Samuel, noticing his contemplative expression. "Everything okay?" she asked softly, her voice gentle but curious.

Samuel nodded slowly, meeting her gaze. "Yeah, just thinking about things. It’s been a crazy few days."

Zinnia gave him a knowing smile, understanding the weight that still hung over him despite the good news.

Samuel’s lips then curved upward into a half-smile. "It still feels a bit surreal. But... I’m glad it’s finally all out in the open."

Timmy, who had been listening to their conversation, nodded. "The public might have thought you were down and out, but we always knew the truth. You were never out of the game."

Lily nodded, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Yeah, we were just waiting for the right moment to reveal it."

Zinnia smiled, enjoying the lightheartedness of the moment. "Well, now that it’s all out there, I’m sure things are going to get a lot more interesting. I mean, a partnership with Lily Oceanic Industries? That’s huge."

She glanced at Lily with a teasing smile, while Lily smiled awkwardly.

Samuel’s expression softened as he looked at Zinnia. "Yeah, it is. But you know what? I wouldn’t be where I am right now without all of you." He glanced around at Timmy and Lily, feeling thankful.

Zinnia smiled, feeling a warmth in her chest. "And we’ll always have your back."

Lily raised her glass of juice, grinning at the two of them. "To new beginnings," she said.

"To new beginnings," everyone echoed, clinking their glasses together.

For a moment, everything felt right again. The chaos of the past few weeks seemed distant.

Lily, still holding her glass of juice, glanced between Zinnia and Samuel with a teasing smile. "So, when will the wedding resume?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

Zinnia felt her face flush instantly. She hadn’t expected Lily to bring it up so casually. Her fingers instinctively fiddled with her napkin, unsure how to respond.

Samuel, however, didn’t seem phased. He glanced at Zinnia, noticing the blush creeping up her cheeks, and then answered with a calm smile. "Soon," he said, his voice steady but warm. "We just need to stabilize the company for now, finalize everything with Lily Oceanic Industries. Once that’s sorted, we can go ahead."

Lily raised an eyebrow, clearly satisfied with the answer. "So... maybe next week, then?"

Samuel nodded, his eyes meeting Zinnia’s. "Yeah, I think so. It’ll be soon."

Zinnia cleared her throat, trying to hide the warmth on her cheeks. "Right. Next week..." she murmured, more to herself than anyone else. It still felt surreal, but the thought of the wedding coming closer made her heart flutter.

Lily set down her glass, her expression softening just a little. "I’m happy for you both. You’ve been through a lot, but now it’s all finally falling into place."

Zinnia smiled at Lily, grateful for her support. "Thank you, Lily."

A week later, the four of them stood at the private hangar, watching as Lily’s sleek, silver jet sat on the tarmac, ready for takeoff. Zinnia’s heart was racing, a mix of excitement and nerves. It was happening. The wedding was finally within reach, and now, she was about to board a plane with Samuel, Lily, and Timmy to meet her parents abroad.

"Are you sure we’re not overpacking?" Timmy asked, holding a large suitcase with one hand and a coffee cup in the other. He looked at the pile of luggage with an exaggerated frown.

Lily gave him an amused glance, shaking her head. "You worry too much, Timmy. We’re only going for a few days."

Samuel smiled at the banter but kept his attention on Zinnia, who was staring at the jet, deep in thought.

"Everything okay?" he asked softly, stepping closer to her.

Zinnia nodded, but her voice was quiet. "Just a little overwhelmed, I guess. It still feels like a dream."