When Love is a Question Mark
Chapter 281: Future in Sight

Chapter 281: Future in Sight

After a few hours of travel, the plane began its descent. Zinnia could feel the excitement building in her, the nervous energy bubbling inside her as she thought about the moment they would land. Her parents were waiting for her, ready to help her finalize everything for the wedding.

As the plane touched down smoothly, the cabin filled with a soft clinking of seatbelt signs and the sound of the engines powering down. Timmy looked up from his screen, already standing with his bag in hand.

"We’re here!" he announced, grinning.

Zinnia stood, feeling the flutter of butterflies in her stomach. She took a deep breath as she turned to Samuel. "Ready?"

He gave her a reassuring smile, his eyes warm with affection. "Always."

They stepped off the jet into the bright sunlight, the airport bustling with activity. Zinnia’s parents were waiting at the entrance, beaming with excitement. Her mother, Elena, waved as soon as she saw Zinnia, her smile wide and full of love. Zinnia’s father, Ricardo, stood beside her, his arms open as he greeted his daughter.

Zinnia’s heart leaped as she ran into their embrace. "Mom! Dad!"

Elena kissed her cheek, her voice full of joy. "We’ve missed you so much, my dear."

"I’m so happy to see you both!" Zinnia replied, her voice thick with emotion.

Ricardo chuckled, pulling back slightly to look at her. "We’re glad you’re here. And we’re even more excited about the wedding. It is finally happening."

Zinnia smiled, her eyes sparkling. "It really is."

Lily and Timmy followed behind them, and her parents greeted them warmly, too. "I’m so glad you’re all here," Elena said. "Now, we can start planning everything for the wedding."

"Yes!" Zinnia laughed, her nerves slowly melting away.

Samuel walked up to Zinnia’s side, his hand slipping into hers as they shared a quiet moment together. Their future was finally in sight, and everything felt right.

The days leading up to the wedding were filled with endless preparations. Every moment was spent arranging details—finalizing the venue, coordinating the guest list, picking out decorations, and deciding on every little thing that would make the day perfect. Zinnia, Samuel, and their families were involved in every step, working together with enthusiasm.

But amidst all the excitement, there was still tension between Samuel and his family, especially when his father, Steven, asked him to come to his hotel room three days before the wedding.

When Samuel arrived, he immediately sensed that something was off. As he entered the room, he saw his parents sitting on the couch, both looking unusually serious. His father’s usually confident posture was stiff, and his mother seemed distant. The air felt heavy, and the tension was palpable.

"Samuel, come in," Steven said, motioning for him to sit. His voice was firm but not unkind.

Samuel hesitated before sitting down, his stomach tight with unease. He looked from his father to his mother and back again, feeling a knot form in his chest. His mind raced with thoughts, but none of them felt right. He had been expecting to talk about wedding details, not... whatever this was.

His father exchanged a glance with his mother, and after a brief pause, Steven spoke again.

"There’s something we’ve kept from you, Samuel," he began, his voice low but steady. "And we think it’s the right moment to tell you about it."

Samuel blinked, confused. He could feel his heart rate quicken. "What do you mean? What is it?"

His mother sighed, her eyes filled with a deep, unreadable sadness.

"It’s about James Lucas," Steven said, then looked him directly in the eyes.

At the sound of James’s name, everything inside Samuel froze. His mind went blank for a moment, and then it started racing. James. The name that had caused so much turmoil in his life, the man who had thrown everything Samuel thought he knew into disarray. What about James? Was this related to the business? Was something else happening that he hadn’t been told?

"What about James?" Samuel asked, his voice almost a whisper, his throat tight.

Steven glanced at his wife, as if unsure how to proceed. "It’s something we should have told you years ago," he said, his voice quieter now. "But we kept it from you, thinking it would be better for you to focus on the future and not know about it. But now... with everything happening, it feels like you need to know."

Samuel felt his chest tighten. He couldn’t grasp what his father was saying. "What is it? What’s going on with James?"

His father took a deep breath. "James... James, he is you."

Samuel’s mind felt like it was spinning out of control. He stared at his father, his breath caught in his throat. The words echoed in his ears, refusing to settle into anything coherent. James... James, he is you. What did that even mean? How could his father say something so absurd?

Samuel stood abruptly, the chair scraping loudly against the floor. "What?!" His voice rose, his tone teetering between disbelief and anger. "How could that be? No, this isn’t true! How?!" His heart was pounding in his chest as if trying to break free from the storm of emotions raging inside him.

Steven watched his son—or rather, his nephew—struggle with the revelation. His face was lined with guilt, and he opened his mouth to speak, but the words wouldn’t come.

Samuel’s gaze darted to his mother, who had been sitting silently this entire time. She flinched under his sudden scrutiny, her hands clasped tightly in her lap.

Samuel felt his breath hitch as memories surfaced. He recalled the framed photographs displayed along the walls of his parents’ house—images of a happy family: his mother, his father, and him. His younger self smiled brightly in the arms of his parents.

But... something wasn’t right.

He had no recollection of those pictures.

Instead, his mom treated him differently, like a stranger—a complete contrast to the loving gaze she had in those photos.