Find me in your labyrinth (Stella and Jonathan) novel Chapter 2598

They played a few more rounds. This time, Sylvia’s luck was unusually good, but it seemed everyone else was holding strong cards too. After several hands, no one had been knocked out—Marina, Amiee, and the others were all still in the game.

Gabriel stayed silent. As long as he didn’t speak, Sylvia felt steady, calmly placing her bets.

Suddenly, her phone vibrated. She glanced at the screen, and an inexplicable anxiety settled in her chest.

Setting her cards down, she announced, “Excuse me, I need to take this.”

Gabriel caught sight of the name flashing on her phone. His expression darkened, and instead of betting, he tossed aside a perfectly good hand.

It was Eugene calling. His voice was gentle: “Are you still with your clients? When will you be done? I can come pick you up.”

“No need, I’ll get home on my own.” Sylvia stepped onto the balcony, the distant noise of laughter and conversation from the lounge washing over her. Her thoughts were tangled and uneasy.

“Grandma fainted today.” Eugene’s voice was heavy, edged with grief.

Sylvia froze. “How is she now?”

“She’s stable for the moment. They managed to revive her, and she’s sleeping. I’m with her now.”

“What did the doctor say?”

“They told me this will happen more and more often. She could go at any time. They want me to brace myself.”

Sylvia pictured the kind, gentle woman, and her heart grew heavy. “Can I come see Grandma Winters now?”

“No, there’s no need. I’ll bring you to visit her this weekend.”

“Alright. Take good care of her, and look after yourself too.”

“I will. I just… I feel awful. Are you busy? Can you talk to me for a while?”

Sylvia hesitated, then nodded, “Of course.”

*

Gabriel stopped and turned. His handsome face was as unreadable as ever, his voice low and deep. “Yes?”

Sylvia walked up to him, holding something out. “This was a gift from Old Mr. Jarvis at New Year’s. I’ve let him down. Could you please return it to him for me?”

Her voice wavered, barely audible at the end, and her fingers trembled as she spoke.

In her slender, pale hand was a tourmaline bracelet.

The beads were a delicate cherry blossom pink, gleaming softly in her palm. In the light, it shimmered like rippling water.

Gabriel looked down at the bracelet. A wave of pain washed over him, his eyes cold and stormy, hiding deeper turmoil beneath. “There’s no need to return it. Keep it.”

“It’s too valuable,” Sylvia insisted.

But it wasn’t just the bracelet that weighed on her—it was also Old Mr. Jarvis’s kindness. She couldn’t bear it any longer.