Find me in your labyrinth (Stella and Jonathan) novel Chapter 3208

Circe was a well-behaved cat who never destroyed anything. Gonzalez maintained his skepticism. "He stays in my room or out in the garden. Why would he wander into the master suite?"

Yvonne scoffed. "Animals roam wherever they please. They don't understand rules or boundaries like humans do."

Hannah quickly stepped in, playing the role of the magnanimous peacemaker. "Yvonne, remember what your father just said. Don't argue with Gonzalez. It's just a dress. It was only a few thousand dollars—I'll just pretend I already wore it."

"Mom!" Yvonne protested hotly, her words dripping with pointed resentment. "Why do we always have to accommodate a pet? We don't owe it anything. Why do we have to walk on eggshells? First, it scratched me, and now it destroys your clothes. If you ask me, that menace is doing it on purpose!"

"Yvonne!" Simon barked, his voice stern. "Enough. We are a family. We are not going to let a pet ruin the peace in this house."

Yvonne stood her ground, her tone defiant. "Dad, ever since that animal arrived, there hasn't been a single day of peace. Today is no different. This isn't a 'Mom and me' problem; it's a cat problem. We've been living in constant fear in our own home. What more do you want from us? Maybe Mom and I should just pack up and leave so we don't have to suffer at the paws of a pet!"

With every word, Yvonne laid it on thicker, her eyes brimming with tears as her voice cracked with emotion.

Hannah clutched her chest, looking utterly heartbroken. "Yvonne, please stop. It's my fault for not locking the bedroom door."

"Mom, this is our home, not a hotel! We shouldn't have to lock our doors to protect our belongings!" Yvonne shot back.

"You don't have to move out," Gonzalez interjected, his voice slicing through the drama like ice. "I'm the one who should leave. Circe and I are moving out tomorrow."

Simon blanched. "Gonzalez, what are you saying?"

"Don't worry," Gonzalez replied smoothly. "I'm not leaving the company. I just won't be living here anymore. If you need anything, call me."

"Absolutely not!" Simon rejected the idea instantly. "You just moved back. You can't leave again."

"What's the alternative? Constant fighting?" Gonzalez's tone was dangerously flat. "The acting, the arguing... maybe you aren't exhausted by it, but I am."

He spent his days navigating the treacherous, backstabbing politics of the corporate boardroom. Coming home to watch this mother-daughter duo put on theatrical performances and hurl passive-aggressive insults was too much. He actually found himself marveling at how his father had managed to survive to this age in such a toxic environment.

Then again, "survive" was a strong word, considering Simon had already been hospitalized multiple times for heart issues.

Yvonne caught the hint. It was the perfect opportunity to comfort her father while he was feeling vulnerable. She offered a subtle nod of understanding.

As Hannah walked upstairs and gazed at the ruined silk gown, a cold, triumphant smile touched her lips.

Gonzalez thought he could outmaneuver her? He was far too green.

She needed Simon to see that no matter how desperately he tried to bring his precious son back into the fold, Gonzalez would never stay. And she wanted Gonzalez to know that crossing her would always result in him being driven out of the Hanson estate.

She had orchestrated his exile fifteen years ago, and she could easily do it again today.

The maid attending to her stepped into the room and whispered, "Miss Yvonne is cheering up Mr. Hanson. He's already in much better spirits."

Hannah offered a curt nod. "Throw this dress in the trash."