Find me in your labyrinth (Stella and Jonathan) novel Chapter 3278

Norah took Circe over to her own apartment, took a hot shower, changed into dry clothes, and cooked a quick bowl of noodles. She even added some boiled chicken specifically for the cat.

Outside, the storm raged on without a pause.

Curled up on the sofa with Circe in her lap, Norah tried to binge-watch a show. But her mind kept drifting. The drama on the screen couldn't hold her attention, and she found herself constantly glancing at the rain-streaked windows.

The downpour was so heavy, and the sky so pitch-black. Was it safe to be driving in this?

A news alert popped up on her phone screen: *Major traffic accident on the highway due to severe weather and poor visibility...*

Norah's heart skipped a beat. She desperately wanted to call Gonzalez but held back, terrified of distracting him while he was behind the wheel.

By ten o'clock, she couldn't take the anxiety anymore. She grabbed her keys and headed over to his apartment to wait for him.

After finishing another episode, Norah gently placed a sleeping Circe into her bed. She had just stood up to pour herself a glass of water when the lights suddenly cut out.

The entire apartment was swallowed by absolute darkness. She couldn't even see her hand in front of her face.

Outside, thunder cracked violently, and a sharp flash of lightning illuminated the room in a ghostly, unsettling white glare.

Frozen in terror, Norah's heart hammered against her ribs. She quickly moved toward the front door, wanting to check if the hallway lights were out too.

She threw the door open in a panic, only to find a tall, dark silhouette looming right in front of her.

"Ah!" Norah shrieked, stumbling backward.

"Norah!" The man's voice was tight with tension. He stepped forward instantly, pulling the terrified girl into his arms, holding her tight. "Don't be scared, it's me!"

"I'm back."

"You're safe."

Norah pressed her face into his chest, her breaths coming in ragged gasps. "Gon... Gonzalez?"

"Yeah. It's okay, the power just went out," he murmured softly.

After a split-second pause, he threw away his restraint. He captured her lips in a deep, bruising kiss, his movements practiced and demanding as he parted her lips.

The shock of his tongue brushing against hers felt like a literal electric jolt straight to her heart. Snapping out of her daze, Norah shoved him away with all her strength, stumbling backward into the dark.

They stood a few feet apart in the pitch black, chests heaving. The heavy, ragged breathing between them only amplified the suffocating tension.

"Are you..." Norah stammered, her voice trembling. "Are you drunk?"

Gonzalez stared at where he knew she stood, his voice raspy but terrifyingly lucid. "No. I know exactly what I'm doing."

Norah bit her lip hard. "You don't!"

"I have feelings for you," Gonzalez blurted out. He stepped forward, his tone completely resolute. "Norah, I love you."

She stumbled back again. In the dim ambient glow from the windows, her wide, panicked eyes looked like a cornered deer. "You're... we're practically family! You're a whole generation older than me!"

Gonzalez frowned. "We aren't blood-related."