Find me in your labyrinth (Stella and Jonathan) novel Chapter 3608

As the heavy, musky scent of her perfume hit him, a sudden wave of revulsion washed over Carson. Right as their lips were about to touch, he instinctively turned his head.

Giselle's lips brushed against his jaw. She froze, stunned by the rejection.

At that exact moment, the server pushed the door open to deliver the drinks. Through the half-open door, Marina, who had been following close behind, saw the two figures entangled on the sofa.

From her angle, Giselle's body obscured Carson's face. Her hands were firmly planted on his shoulders, while the rest of the room cheered them on.

Marina stood rooted to the spot. It felt as though a bucket of ice water had been dumped over her head, freezing her down to her very marrow. The blood turned to ice in her veins. For a long moment, she forgot how to breathe, staring blankly at the scene.

He was wearing the shirt she had bought him. And now, another woman's hands—adorned with blindingly bright red nails—were clutching it in the dim light.

Under the strobe lights, Marina's eyes turned as dark and frigid as a winter night. A suffocating wave of despair crashed into her chest, heavy and jagged, shattering whatever joy she had felt earlier that evening.

Her vision blurred as the sting of tears pricked her eyes.

Slowly, she took a step back, turned around, and walked away.

No one inside noticed her. They assumed it was just a second server leaving.

Carson shoved Giselle away, his annoyance spiking. He glanced at the half-open door, feeling an inexplicable surge of restlessness. Losing his patience for the crowd's banter, he checked his phone again. Still no reply from Marina.

*

Marina didn't return to the reunion. She walked mindlessly until she reached the outdoor terrace. A young woman was standing by the railing, finishing up a phone call.

Marina leaned against the brick wall. Her mind was entirely blank. Her chest felt hollow, a terrifying, echoing emptiness that made her hands tremble.

The woman ended her call and pulled out a cigarette. Marina looked up, her voice raspy. "Can I bum a cigarette off you?"

The woman raised an eyebrow, pulled one from her pack, and handed it over, flicking a lighter to ignite the tip.

With clumsy fingers, Marina placed the cigarette between her lips and inhaled. A harsh, burning sensation scorched her throat and lungs. Tears instantly streamed down her face as she bent double in a violent coughing fit.

"Cough! Cough!"

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