Find me in your labyrinth (Stella and Jonathan) novel Chapter 3530

Carson gently stroked her cheek. "You have Twitter, don't you? Just clear things up. Post a statement saying the rumored girlfriend I'm picking up is none other than Ms. Evert herself."

"And then the next headline will read: *Ms. Evert Swallows Her Pride; Forces Herself to Take the Fall Once Again to Protect Family Business Interests!*"

Carson's chest shook with genuine, uncontrollable laughter.

Marina poked him hard in the chest with one finger. "Count how many times I've had to take the fall for you. Can Mr. Foster please show his poor fiancée a little mercy?"

"Absolutely." Carson leaned in closer, his voice dropping an octave. "Tell me exactly how you want me to show you mercy, and I'll do it. I'm all yours."

Staring into his dark, mesmerizing eyes, Marina felt her heart hammer wildly against her ribs. The sound of a car driving past snapped her back to reality, and she quickly dropped the joking facade. "I have a morning meeting and I can't be late. I'm leaving!"

Carson stepped back, finally letting her go. "Drive safe!"

She gave a noncommittal wave and marched off without looking back.

Sitting in the driver's seat of her own car, her pulse was still racing. Before she could even start the engine, a short honk drew her attention. She looked up just in time to see Carson's car gliding past hers.

He turned to look at her through the window, his gaze heavy with profound, unspoken meaning.

Feeling inexplicably guilty—like she had just been caught red-handed doing something illicit—she hastily started the engine and sped out of the garage.

*

The Evert Family Residence.

After breakfast, Grandpa Evert turned to Rhiannon. "I just heard Marina was in a car accident. How is she doing?"

Rhiannon quickly clarified, "Another car just clipped hers. It wasn't anything serious. She's fully recovered and already back at work."

Phoebe offered a soft, delicate smile. "I'm fine. The gallery is hosting a massive manga exhibition soon. It's incredibly busy, so I can't really step away."

Grandma Evert looked over, surprised. "A manga exhibition?"

"Yes," Phoebe replied smoothly. "We've invited several internationally renowned artists. It's going to be a huge event. The official promotional campaign launches in a few days."

Grandma Evert turned to Rhiannon. "Didn't our Marina used to be obsessed with drawing manga? If she's interested, Phoebe should get her a couple of VIP tickets so she can go check it out."

Phoebe's smile was the picture of gentle perfection. "Of course. To draw in a younger crowd, we even invited the author of a massively popular online webcomic. Even though it's technically a webnovel adaptation, the art style is incredibly sophisticated and the world-building is spectacular. It comes highly recommended by industry professionals, and the merchandise is selling like crazy. I'm sure Marina will love it."

Charlotte seized the moment to gloat, her expression dripping with smug superiority. "Those tickets must be impossible to get ahold of, right? Thank goodness you're running the event from the inside. Normal people wouldn't be able to buy their way in, no matter how much money they threw at it."

Phoebe kept her smile modest and sweet. "We're family. Pulling a few strings for my cousin is the least I can do."