Find me in your labyrinth (Stella and Jonathan) novel Chapter 3677

Carson's lips twitched into a faint smile, but he didn't say a word.

After dinner, Miranda sat on the living room sofa while Carson walked up behind her, gently massaging her shoulders. "Mom, next time she comes over, at least give me a heads-up!"

Miranda's voice remained as serene as ever, but her words were laced with utter disdain. "Why would I do that? If you hadn't come home, Marina might have stayed for dinner. The moment you showed up, she left. Honestly, you don't need to come back here unless it's an absolute emergency!"

Carson was speechless.

He sounded slightly wounded. "Mom, don't you think you're playing favorites a bit too obviously? Let's get one thing straight—you only got her as a future daughter-in-law because you had me as a son first!"

Miranda waved him off dismissively. "If the two of you call off the engagement, I'll just adopt Marina as my goddaughter!"

Carson frowned. "If she's your goddaughter, she'll only visit when she has free time. If she's your daughter-in-law, she can live here every day."

Miranda slowly shook her head. "If she's my goddaughter, at least I know she'll still come to see me. If she's my daughter-in-law, you'll probably piss her off so badly she'll never set foot in this house again!"

Carson couldn't help but laugh, though it felt entirely self-deprecating. "Mom, have you completely given up on me?"

Miranda nodded, looking entirely too serious. "I've figured it out. My relationship with Marina is actually much stronger when you aren't involved."

Carson let out a heavy sigh.

His voice took on a mournful tone. "I was wrong. I really know I was wrong. And I finally understand what you meant before when you told me it was time to settle down!"

Miranda turned her head to look at him steadily. Suddenly, she said, "I was so busy talking to Marina today that I completely forgot to copy my Buddhist scriptures!"

"I'll copy them for you right now!" Carson immediately volunteered.

He turned and took the stairs two at a time.

"Miranda? Since when did every other word out of your mouth become about Miranda? She's the only person you care about now, isn't she?" Rowena choked back a sob, her voice breaking into an agonizing wail. "I cut ties with my entire family for you! I sacrificed my career for you! I have spent my entire life hiding in the shadows just for you! You swore you would never abandon me, but you clearly forgot those promises a long time ago!"

Barton was silent for a moment before saying heavily, "You've changed, Rowena."

"Why did I change? Because of Miranda!" Rowena scoffed bitterly. "She knew she couldn't compete with me, so she used her son to suppress Kai at every turn. I lost my family, my friends, everything because of you. Kai is all I have left, and she knows it!"

"Everyone thinks she's so noble, so above the fray, so kind and forgiving. But I'm the only one who knows how ruthless she truly is!"

"Even if you resent Miranda, what the hell did Marina ever do to you?" Barton snapped angrily. "You crossed a massive line. If I hadn't stepped in to protect you, you'd be looking at a kidnapping charge!"

"Then why don't you think Miranda and her precious son crossed a line?" Rowena screamed hysterically. "Carson completely ignored Kai's feelings and forced him into an engagement he didn't want. Kai has been utterly miserable, and all I wanted was to make my son happy!"

"So to make Kai happy, you thought it was perfectly acceptable to kidnap Marina? What did that poor girl ever do to provoke you?" Barton was furious. "What kind of twisted logic is that? You used to be so well-read, so open-minded and kind. Look at what you've turned into!"