Find me in your labyrinth (Stella and Jonathan)

Chapter 2096

As dusk settled, Jason finally made it to the Quintin estate.

His flight to J City had been canceled, so he had taken a plane to H City and driven from there. Weary from the journey, he was eager to get home – but who was he so desperate to see?

Having spent the entire day in transit, Jason planned to freshen up with a shower before meeting with Old Mr. Quintin and Old Mr. Jarvis.

Passing through the back garden, he ran into Gabriel.

With a respectful nod, Jason greeted him, fatigue etched on his face, "Gabriel!"

"I heard you weren't going to make it back today, but here you are," Gabriel remarked, his ruggedly handsome features standing out against the snowy backdrop. "You must be exhausted."

Jason offered a weary smile. "You guys fought tooth and nail to gather evidence. What I did was simply go with the flow. It was hardly a struggle."

"How's Estelle doing?" he asked.

"She took a bit of a knock but is holding up. She and Jonathan came by today and just left a short while ago."

"That's reassuring with Jonathan at her side."

"Yeah," replied Gabriel. "Heading to see Old Mr. Quintin?"

"I'm going to my room first; I'll catch up with him and Old Mr. Jarvis later."

"Alright, see you in a bit!"Material © NôvelDrama.Org.

After parting ways with Gabriel, Jason headed upstairs to his room.

Pushing open the door, he was greeted by darkness.

The gloomy day outside and drawn curtains left everything inside to mere outlines.

Adjusting to the dimness, Jason didn't bother with the lights. He grabbed a robe from the wardrobe and made his way to the bathroom.

Two days with hardly any rest took their toll as the hot water cascaded over him, washing away the fatigue.

Donning the robe, he glanced at the clock. There was no rush to go downstairs, so he decided to rest a bit first.

Slipping off the robe, he set the alarm and slid under the covers, planning to catch an hour of sleep.

Exhaustion was catching up, and as he drifted between consciousness, a warm body snuggled up to him and clung like an octopus.

Jason's eyes snapped open and he instinctively pushed the intruder away.

"Ouch, stop pulling at me!" The girl's sleepy protest was followed by a mumbled, "So comfy, just let me hug you a moment longer."

Jason's heart skipped a beat as he took in the girl in his arms.

It was Sophia, scantily clad, her only undergarment barely hanging on. And he was wearing nothing at all.

How did she end up in his bed?

His voice rough, he tried to disentangle himself again.

Sophia grew petulant. "Don't move!"

He froze, lifting the blanket and tensing as he focused on her face in the dim light.

She seemed upset, her brows furrowed, lips pouted, probably annoyed by the clothing wedged between them. With a few tugs, she discarded it and burrowed into his embrace once more.

Her body was feverishly hot against his freshly cooled skin, reflecting the turmoil within him.

Soft, burning, she threatened to ignite his entire being. Jason's breathing became the most pronounced sound in the silent room.

Finally, he touched her forehead, confirming she was indeed feverish.

Sophia was prone to illness, and once, delirious with fever on a cold winter's day, she had plunged into the garden's lily pond. Fortunately, he had been passing by; otherwise, that winter could have claimed her life.

Pushing aside any lingering sentiment, Jason carefully peeled her away and stood up.

Slipping back into his robe, he switched on the light and noticed the medicine on the table.

He turned back to her, his eyes narrowing, his body tensing.

He knew she was naked, but with the lights on, the visual impact was even more unsettling.