Estelle scoffed. “Before, you were so sure Sylvia liked you, always acting high and mighty, thinking you had everything under control and that no one could defy you. Now you seem a bit flustered. Did you confess to Sylvia and get rejected?”
Gabriel’s chiseled lips curved into a semblance of a smile. “You think you’re a relationship expert just because you’re dating Jonathan?”
Estelle sighed. “Can you please take your own feelings seriously?”
“How?” Gabriel retorted. “She’s still with Eugene. What good would it do if I did?”
“But you already know she has her reasons for being with Eugene.”
“She had her reasons at first. What if she genuinely fell for him along the way?”
Estelle was speechless.
She chuckled. “So, you’re planning to just hand Sylvia over to Eugene?”
Gabriel’s eyes glinted sharply as he said slowly and deliberately, “That’s impossible.”
“If it’s impossible, then find a way to win her back,” Estelle said with a frown. “If you’re not anxious, I am.”
“What are you anxious about?” Gabriel asked with a slight laugh.
“I’m afraid Sylvia will really give up on you!”
Gabriel fell silent.
He slowly drank the tea in his cup and said, as if to himself, “We’ll have to wait until after your wedding anyway.”
*
J City
With Estelle gone, Jonathan found it hard to focus on his work. When Chuck came in with a report, he noticed his boss’s unusual state.
“The wedding is just around the corner, Mr. Lamont. You could take these few days off.”
Jonathan casually flipped through the report. “Everything is proceeding as planned. I’ll manage my time.”
The truth was, he needed something to keep himself busy.
Chuck hesitated for a moment before speaking carefully. “Mr. Lamont, actually…”
Seeing him trail off, Jonathan looked up. “What is it?”
Estelle: [I forgot to tell you something. I prepared an early birthday gift for you. It’s in the top drawer of your desk. I hope you like it.]
Jonathan’s heart skipped a beat. [When did you prepare this?]
[A long time ago.]
Jonathan’s desire to get back to the Royal Mansion grew even more urgent.
By the time he arrived home, it was evening. He opened the door to a room bathed in the golden light of the setting sun, which poured through the floor-to-ceiling windows.
But without Estelle there, the space felt empty and desolate.
Jonathan headed straight for the study.
Sitting at the desk, he opened the drawer. Inside was a long, rectangular, deep blue velvet box.
He held it in his hand but didn't open it right away. His mind flashed back to his birthday three years ago, when she had given him a gift he would never forget.
Now, holding another birthday gift from her, he felt a flicker of trepidation.

Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Find me in your labyrinth (Stella and Jonathan)
Thank you for the updates....
I love it, I love it! Thank you for the updates....
Dear author Lucy, may we please have updates. Thank you....
There's a song currently playing via YouTube and TikToc by LowDii "Touch Me Softly" that makes me think of Norah and Xavier (Gonzalez). Please, I'm looking forward to updates. Thank you for your writing....
May we please have updates. Thank you....
As the plot thicken. Adrian is done for and he can't try to control Norah, so he'd probably tattle to Janice who's gone for two weeks. Thank you soooo much for the updates....
These updates were too funny. Thank you so much for the updates....
I forgot to add Amy to the group of pregnant women,since she was the first. Emily and Sylvia better be careful since pregnancy is in the air....
Wow! This is great, both Estelle and Magdalen are pregnant at the same time and I hope that Xavier is Norah neighbor. Thank you for the updates....
Author Lucy you're a blessing. Thank you so my for the updates. I hope that Norah's neighbor is Xavier she gets her memory back....