Find me in your labyrinth (Stella and Jonathan) novel Chapter 3518

The beautiful, slightly sorrowful melody captivated everyone in the room. Even Marina fell completely silent, lost in the music.

As the piece progressed, the notes blossomed into something romantic and magnificent, like a love reborn from the ashes.

Drawn in by the song, Marina casually glanced over and found her eyes locking with Carson's. In the flickering candlelight, his gaze was dark, profound, and searing with an intensity that felt as though it could pierce straight through her eyes and into her very soul.

Marina was mesmerized for a breathless moment. Three seconds passed before she managed to tear her gaze away in a slight panic, her heart pounding frantically against her ribs.

When the song ended, the restaurant erupted in enthusiastic applause. Several diners looked over at them, and someone even brought over a red rose from their own table to give to Marina.

"Congratulations! May you always love each other deeply," a young woman told her.

Marina honestly didn't know if she should accept such a blessing.

Carson reached out and took the flower smoothly. "We will. Thank you."

Marina quickly offered her own thanks to the woman.

Carson placed the newly gifted rose into the vase on their table. "Consider it a testament. We really are going to be together forever."

Marina looked at him. "Do you even believe that yourself?"

Carson met her gaze with utter sincerity. "How will we know if we don't try?"

Staring into his deep eyes, Marina felt an undeniable tug at her heart. She looked down at her plate and continued eating, leaving the question unanswered.

*

Later that night, true to his promise to Rhiannon, Carson drove Marina home.

When they pulled up outside the Evert family estate, Marina pushed open the car door. "Thank you for today. Thanks for bailing me out earlier, and for the amazing dinner."

Even his friend George had been an absolute delight.

The wind rustled the dead leaves, whispering like a midnight hourglass as the sound slowly settled into the very depths of Marina's heart.

Slowly, Marina's hands crept up to grip his waist. She tilted her head back, closing her eyes as she finally kissed him back. There was already a dangerous chemistry between them—an effortless rhythm where they matched each other's pace. Whether it was frantic heat or slow, deliberate tenderness, they synced perfectly. She let herself drown in the intoxicating desire, using it to numb the uncertainty and confusion swirling in her chest.

Meanwhile, Phoebe was walking her dog in the courtyard. As she neared the outer wall, she caught sight of the two figures kissing passionately on the street through the wrought-iron gates. She froze instantly.

In the dim lighting, the two of them were pressed so tightly together they looked like a single silhouette. No matter how you looked at it, they seemed exactly like two people madly in love.

Phoebe pressed her lips into a thin, tight line, a toxic wave of jealousy darkening her eyes. When the prospect of marrying into the Foster family first came up, her grandparents had originally chosen her. They had even sat her down to discuss it.

At the time, she had refused. The Foster family was incredibly powerful, sure, but Carson Foster was a notorious playboy. She had absolutely no intention of letting her marriage become a public joke.

When the engagement was inevitably shifted to Marina, Phoebe had secretly gloated, eagerly waiting for the day Marina would be humiliated and cast aside.

But why was everything turning out completely different from what she had imagined? Carson was impossibly wealthy, devastatingly handsome, and fiercely protective of Marina at every turn. And now, it looked like they were genuinely obsessed with each other!