Find me in your labyrinth (Stella and Jonathan) novel Chapter 3684

Back in her kitchen, Marina hesitated for a moment before unscrewing the lid of the thermos.

For a man's first attempt at cooking, the results were incredibly underwhelming. Marina managed to force down half a bowl before pushing the rest aside in absolute disgust. She turned off the lights and went straight to bed.

Right before she fell asleep, her phone buzzed. It was a text from Carson: *Did you drink the soup?*

Marina: *Did you actually taste it after you made it?*

Carson: *Was it that bad?*

Marina didn't bother responding.

Carson: *It was my first time, I didn't know what I was doing. I swear I'll make it better next time. Please, Ms. Evert, give me one more chance!*

Staring at the screen, Marina really wanted to type back and tell him to save his energy because there were no more chances.

But as she debated whether or not to hit send, her eyelids grew unimaginably heavy, and she drifted off to sleep with the phone still clutched in her hand.

The next morning, Carson dropped George off at the airport and arrived back at the apartment building just in time.

Marina had just finished getting ready for work when the doorbell rang. She opened it to find Carson standing in the hallway. "I washed the thermos. Let me go grab it for you."

Instead of waiting, Carson strolled right past her and into the apartment. When Marina spun around to glare at him, he offered a perfectly calm expression. "The previous homeowner just wanted to check on the property. Is that a crime?"

Marina took a deep, steadying breath and nodded. "Make yourself at home!"

Carson smirked and headed straight for the dining room. "Eat breakfast first!"

Marina came out of the kitchen carrying the clean thermos, her brow furrowed. "It's one thing for the old homeowner to pop in for a visit, but staying for breakfast at the new owner's house is crossing a line, don't you think?"

Carson didn't miss a beat. "Eating at the new owner's house might cross a line, but eating breakfast at my fiancée's house is perfectly acceptable, right?"

Marina gritted her teeth, glaring daggers at him.

Carson couldn't help but chuckle as he looked around. The tablecloth and all the dishware had been completely swapped out. He looked up at her. "Trying to erase the past by changing your surroundings? How's that working out for you?"

Marina was stunned into silence.

He looked genuinely wounded and pathetic as his dark eyes searched her face. He slowly stirred his milk with a spoon.

Marina lowered her eyes and said flatly, "If she wants to pursue you, that's her right. Am I supposed to stop her?"

"You could. No one on earth has more right to stop her than you do!" Carson's eyes darkened. "Just casually tossing me aside to some random woman—is that how a fiancée is supposed to act?"

"Even if you were giving away a stray cat or dog, you'd make sure they went to a good home. Did you even bother checking what kind of person Lucy really is?"

Listening to his bitter, resentful tone only made Marina more frustrated. She snapped defensively, "Fine, I get it! I won't do it again!"

She paused, dialing her anger back. "Now, tell me. What exactly did Lucy do to the swan?"

Carson finally answered, his voice slow and deliberate. "She's a beauty vlogger, but her channel hasn't been getting any traction. So, she's using the swan as a prop for views. She's been dyeing its feathers all sorts of toxic, neon colors every single day. She even plucked a bunch of its feathers out to try and replicate Iridescent Feather Craft on camera."