Find me in your labyrinth (Stella and Jonathan) novel Chapter 2699

Jonathan leaned down and kissed her cheek, his lips brushing her ear. “A little. You can pay me back tonight.”

A faint pink blush crept up Estelle’s ears. She gave him a sly look. “Deal.”

As they walked back to the room, Yvonne emerged from a side corridor. She watched them go, then called over a waiter. “Which room did Mr. Lamont book?”

Before the waiter could answer, a sharp voice cut through the air from behind her. “What are you planning now, Ms. Yvonne?”

Yvonne froze, then spun around. A man was slowly approaching under the dim lights. A smile touched her red lips. “Manley Scott.”

Manley was dressed in a vibrant turquoise shirt and linen trousers. The flamboyant colors did nothing to overshadow his striking features, only accentuating his devilish good looks. A black obsidian earring gleamed from his earlobe.

He drew closer, his expression cold. “You’d best abandon whatever little schemes you’re cooking up, Ms. Yvonne. If anything goes wrong with Estelle’s wedding, I will make you pay a terrible price.”

The waiter had already slipped away. Yvonne stood tall, her posture poised. “You’re in love with Estelle, Manley Scott. I thought that would make us allies.”

“Allies with you?” Manley scoffed. “Don’t flatter yourself.”

Yvonne’s face hardened. “You and I are indeed different,” she sneered. “I love Jonathan, and I fight for him. You, on the other hand, bow to his power. You don’t even have the courage to try, so you just hide away.”

Manley was unmoved, his lazy eyes filled with disdain. “Your specialties are sowing discord and using others to do your dirty work, Ms. Yvonne. You’ve mastered that combination. Did you learn it from Mrs. Hanson, or have you played the scheming mistress in so many shows that you can’t get out of character?”

“What is it?” he answered.

The line was noisy. A teasing voice came through. “Where’d you go? You were the one who insisted on coming to 9th Mansion tonight, and you disappeared before you even finished one drink.”

“You guys were giving me a headache. I needed some air,” Manley said dismissively, exhaling a cloud of smoke. “You all have fun. I’m heading out.”

He hung up without waiting for a reply. He leaned against the wall, one leg bent, his head slightly lowered as he took a few more drags from his cigarette before pushing off and leaving.

In the dim, quiet corridor, the tall figure walked away. He carried himself with the air of a nonchalant playboy, yet there was an undeniable sense of lonely desolation about him.