Find me in your labyrinth (Stella and Jonathan) novel Chapter 3014

She sat on the park bench, her lovely, rounded face a picture of quiet calm. She listened patiently as Shawn recounted the daily gossip and goings-on at the care facility.

As the morning wore on and the sun climbed higher, the heat began to seep into the shade. Sweating lightly, Emily eventually wheeled him back inside.

Before she left, Shawn suddenly turned his head. "You and Mr. James aren't fighting, are you?"

Her steps faltered for a fraction of a second before she forced a bright smile. "No. Don't worry."

*

That afternoon, Emily finalized her design drafts for Sterling Properties and meticulously double-checked the structural data. By the time she finished, the sun had already set.

Frowning at the time, she grabbed her phone and texted Charlie: [Why haven't you brought Kya home yet?]

He replied instantly: [Apologize to me, and we'll come back.]

Annoyed, she typed back: [Are you seriously using her as leverage again?]

Charlie: [I suppose I am.]

Ignoring him, she got up to make dinner. Since she was alone, she threw together a simple bowl of pasta.

After eating, she collapsed onto the couch. The more she thought about his text, the more irritated she became. She snatched her phone again: [Why should I apologize to you?]

Charlie: [You brought up breaking up. It hurt my feelings.]

She scoffed and typed a cynical reply: [Mr. James's heart must be divided into a thousand pieces by now. Which piece exactly got hurt?]

He called her immediately. His voice was low and slightly raspy. "Are you just jealous?"

She lowered her eyelashes, staying completely silent.

His tone softened into a gentle explanation. "That night, I just happened to run into Melina Marsh. We barely exchanged two words. I spent the rest of the evening with Kya. She's my witness."

"..."

"I have to head into a meeting right now," he continued. "We'll talk when I'm out. Kya is staying at the family estate while I'm gone, so just make sure you take care of yourself. Don't rush into signing anything for the studio. Wait until I get back. Whatever you decide, I'll respect it."

By the end, his tone had morphed into something incredibly tender and cautious.

A lump formed in her throat. "I understand. Go to your meeting," she whispered.

He paused, his voice dropping into a devastatingly warm register. "I spent the entire flight staring at my phone, waiting for you to text me. I can handle any disaster this company throws at me, but you are the only thing that completely wrecks my focus. Emily Sullivan... I miss you."

Her eyes stung. Tracing the leather grain of the sofa with her fingertip, she murmured a soft, "Mhm."

He let out a low chuckle. "What does 'mhm' mean?"

"It means you're late for your meeting," she retorted gently, ending the call before he could say another word.