Find me in your labyrinth (Stella and Jonathan) novel Chapter 3625

Carson booked the banquet at the Sapphire Hotel, the exact same venue where he and Marina had celebrated their engagement.

This new engagement felt dripping with irony from start to finish.

The Evert family arrived early, and the Foster family soon followed. Everyone chatted and laughed, deliberately glossing over the elephant in the room.

Carson's aunt Bethany and aunt Diana were mingling excitedly with the Everts. In stark contrast, Miranda Foster sat quietly off to the side, looking as though today's event had absolutely nothing to do with her.

Phoebe's eyes darted around. She picked up a cup of tea and walked over, adopting a humble, gentle posture. "Mrs. Foster, please have some tea."

Miranda reached out to take it, her soft features carrying a polite but distant courtesy. "Thank you."

Phoebe bit her lip lightly and murmured, "Honestly, I never expected things to turn out like this. I've been feeling so anxious and uneasy these past few days."

Miranda frowned slightly. "Carson is being too reckless. He's hurt Marina, and he's hurting you too!"

She had been calling Carson non-stop over the past two days, trying to put an end to this farce, but her son was stubbornly set on his path and hadn't even been home.

No one knew a son better than his mother. Miranda knew Carson had to be suffering too.

She had wanted to talk to Marina, but she was afraid things were exactly as Marina had claimed—that their relationship was nothing more than a contract. If Marina had truly found someone she loved, forcing a meeting would only put her in a difficult position!

Phoebe bit her lip. "Even though the situation is absurd, if I really do end up with Mr. Foster, I will take this relationship seriously. I will treat him well."

Her words were a thinly veiled jab at Marina's supposed indifference and deceit.

Miranda's expression cooled slightly, and she turned her gaze toward the door. "Is Marina coming today?"

"Probably not," Phoebe replied. "My sister seems... very reluctant to see Mr. Foster."

As soon as he entered, the Evert family all stood up to greet him, with Charlotte and her husband being the most enthusiastic.

Barton exchanged pleasantries, but his eyes kept drifting toward his wife. Making a quick excuse, he slipped away.

He walked over to Miranda, picking up a shawl and draping it around her shoulders. "Aren't you cold sitting by the window?" he asked softly.

Miranda pinched the fringe of the shawl between her fingers, keeping her eyes downcast and remaining silent.

Barton looked a bit uncomfortable. He cleared his throat. "I tried calling Carson, but he won't answer. He's acting out like this because you always spoil him too much!"

Miranda furrowed her brow and looked up at him. Her clear, tranquil eyes stared at him without a trace of warmth or anger. Barton immediately felt as flustered as a man caught doing something wrong. He cleared his throat again and said, "There's probably no turning back now, so don't stress yourself out too much. If you really like Marina, she doesn't have to be our daughter-in-law. You can just make her your goddaughter later!"

Miranda turned her head away, looking out the window. "The engagement hasn't officially been broken yet," she murmured.