Find me in your labyrinth (Stella and Jonathan) novel Chapter 3645

Marina's face went pale. Shock, lingering fear, and profound disappointment tangled tightly in her chest, making it hard to breathe. After a long silence, she finally managed to say, "Thank you for saving me."

"Don't thank me. You're still technically my fiancée. Protecting you is my responsibility," the man replied, his voice low and heavy.

Marina lowered her eyes. "Goodbye."

After hanging up, Marina sat on the sofa, her face clouded with gloom.

Erin sat down beside her. "What exactly is going on? Who took you?"

Marina briefly explained the twisted dynamic between herself, Carson, and Kai. Even saying it out loud, she still couldn't quite believe it. "How could Kai do something like that?"

Erin's eyes darted around as she pieced it together. "Maybe he was always messed up in the head. Plus, after being forced into the engagement with Phoebe, he probably resented Carson and wanted to use you to get back at him!"

She scoffed coldly. "They definitely knew about your messy breakup with Carson, too. And if something had actually happened last night, they were banking on you being too terrified to tell anyone!"

After all, being assaulted by her own 'brother-in-law' would be an unbearable humiliation for both of them. It would likely cause a massive implosion between the two families.

"That's so sick," Erin muttered angrily, turning to Marina. "Did you ask Carson what happened to that mother-son duo?"

Marina had been so shocked she completely forgot to ask. She slowly shook her head.

"Carson definitely isn't going to let them off easy!" Erin declared.

Marina recalled the time she had gone with Kai to meet his mother. Back then, she had no idea Rowena was Barton Foster's long-term mistress. Yet, despite the woman's gentle and kind facade, Marina had always felt a lingering sense of unease around her.

Thinking back on it now, her instincts had been dead-on. How could a woman who knowingly spent years as a mistress to a married man be genuinely good? Her viciousness was baked into her bones, and she had slowly poisoned Kai with it.

Kai's true tragedy wasn't that he was born illegitimate; it was that he had a mother like her!

Erin added softly, "Actually, I think Carson still really cares about you. When I told him you were missing last night, he rushed over so fast, and he looked genuinely terrified."

Marina offered a self-deprecating smile. If he hadn't treated her well, she wouldn't have lowered her guard and fallen for his lies in the first place!

She yanked Erin out the door.

Since Erin had originally come for a change of scenery anyway, staying cooped up inside dwelling on negative emotions wouldn't help either of them. Going out was the best option.

They shopped and then caught a movie. Just as the film was ending, Marina received a text from Kai:

[I'm so sorry. I know I have absolutely no right to send you this message, but the guilt is eating me alive now that I'm thinking clearly. It's worse than the physical agony. I am truly sorry. And I want you to know—even if Carson hadn't shown up, I would never have actually hurt you.]

Staring at the message, Marina felt an overwhelming sense of sadness and grief. She remembered the surprise and joy of first meeting Nocturne, the effortless connection they shared when collaborating on their art. How had things devolved into this absolute nightmare?

She put her phone away, ignoring the text.

That night, they found a quiet bar to get a drink. After yesterday's ordeal, Erin refused to let Marina out of her sight for a single second.

After drinks, Marina took Erin back to her new apartment. They stayed up talking until dawn before finally falling asleep.