Find me in your labyrinth (Stella and Jonathan) novel Chapter 3433

The only near-miss was on Wednesday night during a business dinner. As she was leaving, she spotted a familiar silhouette that looked exactly like Carson, walking alongside a stunningly dressed girl.

She tactfully kept her distance, opting not to say hello and ruin his fun.

*

Saturday arrived quickly.

Carson had been out late at a networking event the night before and ended up crashing at a hotel. He woke up at nine, hastily changed, and headed back.

Thanks to terrible weekend traffic, even taking a detour cost him over an hour.

He finally arrived at his mother's house just before noon.

Walking through the door with a fresh bouquet of flowers, he found his mother sitting in the living room, graciously accepting birthday wishes over the phone.

Miranda Foster preferred a quiet life. She never threw lavish birthday parties. To her, a simple bowl of vegetarian noodles was a complete celebration.

Years ago, she used to cook for both of them, but lately, Carson had taken over the tradition of hand-making the noodles for her.

Catching her eye, Carson silently mouthed 'Happy Birthday' to her while she was still on the line. He set the flowers down beside her and rolled up his sleeves as he headed toward the kitchen.

It suddenly hit him that Marina hadn't shown up yet. He arched an eyebrow—had she forgotten their deal?

Just as he reached for his phone to send a reminder text, he caught a glimpse of a busy silhouette in the kitchen.

The girl was wearing an apron, meticulously working on a cake.

Carson watched her for a few seconds before stepping into the room.

"When did you get here?" Carson asked.

Marina spun around. She wore absolutely no makeup, yet her striking features—her perfectly arched brows, bright eyes, and naturally flush lips—were undeniable. She had frosting smeared on her hands and a tiny dab of it right on the tip of her nose, giving her normally elegant face an adorable, goofy charm.

Seeing the smug little curl of her lips, Carson couldn't help but laugh softly. He lingered for another moment before moving to start on the noodles.

Marina had her hair tied back in a low ponytail, her expression intensely focused. The natural light spilling into the kitchen caught the elegant slope of her nose, highlighting her stunning profile.

A stray strand of hair slipped loose, falling into her face. Since her hands were coated in frosting, she tried to awkwardly push it back with her wrist. After two failed attempts, it just slid right back down, leaving the shell of her ear flushed from the effort.

Carson glanced over. Without a second thought, he reached out and gently tucked the unruly strand of hair behind her ear.

His hands were large and elegant, his fingers distinctly defined. The faint brush of his fingertips against her cheek carried a sudden warmth that made Marina freeze. She instinctively flinched, pulling her head back slightly.

Leaning lazily against the marble counter, Carson tilted his head and shot her a wicked look. "Well, well. Look who's blushing."

Marina shot him a sidelong glare, a flash of mischief sparking in her eyes. Without warning, she slapped a handful of frosting right onto his cheek.

"In your dreams!"