Find me in your labyrinth (Stella and Jonathan) novel Chapter 3022

Since it was still early, Emily swung by Betty's coffee shop before heading to the bar.

Betty was chatting with a man at a table. When she spotted Emily, she excused herself and hurried over. "Emily! What brings you by at this hour?"

Emily smiled warmly. "I didn't call ahead. I hope I'm not interrupting."

"Not at all. That guy has been hitting on me and comes in at the same time every day. It's actually getting annoying, so you totally saved me!" Betty laughed, guiding Emily to a quiet booth.

Emily didn't beat around the bush. "Betty, I'm so sorry, but I have to back out of our studio partnership."

Betty looked shocked. "What happened? Did you run into a problem? If it's about the money, you don't need to stress. I can cover all the startup capital myself."

Emily offered a knowing smile. "Are you covering it, or is Wilson?"

Betty froze.

While Charlie James had been out of town, Emily had taken a hard look at her interactions with Wilson Walton, going all the way back to her days at the James family company.

Wilson's timing was always a little too perfect. She really couldn't blame Charlie for getting jealous.

Betty had never been particularly ambitious. She had stumbled into architecture back in college by total accident. Even this coffee shop had been heavily funded by Wilson. There was simply no way she had suddenly scraped together enough cash to bankroll a design studio.

It was only an educated guess, but to avoid unnecessary drama and to respect Charlie's feelings, Emily knew she needed to put some serious distance between herself and Wilson.

Betty slowly stirred her coffee, offering a gentle smile. "I'll be honest with you, Emily. Wilson came to me. He said your new boss was making your life hell and that you were more than talented enough to strike out on your own. He asked me to pitch the partnership to you. He knew you wouldn't want to ask your boyfriend for a handout, so he had the funds ready to go."

Emily frowned. "Why would he go to such lengths for me?"

Betty's voice was incredibly soft. "You're a smart girl, Emily. Why do you think?"

By the time she left the coffee shop, the sun had set. A cherry-red sports car pulled up to the curb. Magdalen pushed her sunglasses down her nose. "Get in, gorgeous."

Emily smiled and climbed into the passenger seat. "Where's Estelle?"

"I sent her the location. She's driving herself so I could swing by and grab you," Magdalen grinned.

The Night was already pulsing with energy. Neon lights flashed aggressively in time with the deafening bass of heavy metal, creating a chaotic, intoxicating atmosphere that defined J City after dark.

The three of them claimed spots at the bar. Magdalen slid a glass over. "To Emily's glorious rebirth!"

Emily threw the shot back. The whiskey burned a fiery trail down her throat, leaving her eyes watering, but the sharp sting felt incredibly liberating.

Estelle set her glass down and smiled. "Alright, the drinks are poured. Tell us why you really quit."