Find me in your labyrinth (Stella and Jonathan) novel Chapter 3452

After finishing their late-night feast, the two of them sat out on the balcony, chatting and drinking as the evening breeze rolled in.

The balcony featured a cozy loveseat, just big enough for the two of them. Her stomach full and her whole body relaxed, Marina asked, "Did you have any social events tonight?"

She knew Carson was a night owl with a packed social calendar.

Carson leaned back lazily against the sofa, his dark eyes brimming with a seductive, lingering amusement. "Yeah, someone hosted a dinner. I realized the food was exactly your style, so I had the kitchen make a fresh batch and rushed it over to you."

Marina's eyes sparkled. "I'm so touched!"

His smile turned teasing. "If you get touched enough times, will you offer yourself to me in return?"

Marina tipped her head back and took a sip of her drink. "If I can never find someone I actually like, maybe I'll consider your proposal."

After all, if you completely ignored his playboy tendencies, he would make a perfect husband.

And if she didn't love him, she wouldn't have to care about how many women he had on the side.

Living out her life just like they were now—respecting each other but staying out of each other's way—wouldn't be so bad.

But a small part of her couldn't just settle.

A life without anything to look forward to seemed a little pointless.

Carson tapped his bottle against hers. "Then if I never meet someone I like, I'll just marry you."

Marina tilted her head. "Why does that sound like you're just settling for the next best thing?"

He chuckled. "I'm just following your lead."

She bobbed her head, agreeing. "We're exactly the same. We'd both just be settling."

Lately, they had been chatting online every day. Sharing the same passion, they found themselves on the exact same wavelength when it came to their work. Even though they had never met in person, he already felt like a close friend.

Marina nodded. "Thank you, Nocturne."

To her, he was both a mentor and a friend.

"Don't thank me," Nocturne said. "When the editor first approached me, I had the concepts, but I was seriously lacking in passion. Since we started collaborating, discussing the characters and the world of the manga every single day... I finally found my rhythm again. If anything, I should be thanking you."

Marina deeply resonated with that. "To be honest, it's been the exact same for me."

A low chuckle came through the speaker.

For a moment, neither of them spoke, but a profound sense of mutual understanding hung in the air. Marina kept her head bowed, listening to his laughter, and couldn't stop the corners of her mouth from turning up.