Find me in your labyrinth (Stella and Jonathan)
Chapter 1999

Marina was brimming with optimism. "We can totally pull this off!"

Carson glanced at her, his eyes catching the infectious joy on her face. Despite himself, he felt a ripple of relaxation. "Let's grab some grub first," Carson suggested. "The Macclain family needs time to draft their statement anyway."

"Sounds great!"

Carson picked out an upscale bistro, parked the car, and they both headed in for a meal.

The bistro was a picture of elegance, and they chose a quiet spot. After ordering their meals, they kept an eye on the online buzz while waiting.

Carson excused himself to use the restroom and took the opportunity to call his assistant. He instructed him to reach out to a marketing firm they often worked with, preparing to buy a spot on the trending searches.

After he had given his instructions, his brow lifted in afterthought. "And dig up some dirt on the Evert family. Heard they've hit a snag with a project handover."

His assistant acknowledged and hung up.

Back at the table, the waiter was just serving their food. Carson, ever the gentleman, sliced up the steak into bite-sized pieces and offered it to Marina.

Marina smiled her thanks. "Appreciate it!"

"No problem," Carson replied nonchalantly, and they both started their meal in comfortable silence.

Halfway through the meal, Carson's assistant called to inform him that Stanley's announcement had hit a verified Twitter account and had soared to the top of the trending list.

Carson put down his utensils and checked his phone.

Stanley had tweeted a bombshell. He claimed he couldn't stand idly by anymore and felt compelled to restore truth for KING and the misled public.

He clearly stated that KING was indeed the biological daughter of Bennett and Simone, contrary to the notorious claims that Carmella, who had been embroiled in scandal, was the mistakenly adopted child. The Bennetts, in an effort to protect their adopted daughter, had disowned their own daughter, maligning and slandering KING.

As KING's uncle, Stanley couldn't bear to see his niece discarded and maligned by her own parents, which compelled him to speak out.

The tweet was explosive, and with Carson's influence fanning the flames, it quickly became a hot topic online, sparking intense discussion. [Plot twist! KING is the Macclain's real daughter?]

[I thought she was some charity case they took under their wing?]

[This is like something out of a soap opera! If KING is really a Macclain, why would Mrs. Macclain trash her own daughter? Has she lost her mind?]

[I feel like Stanley is telling the truth.]

[Where's KING in all this? Speak up!]

Simone quickly tweeted back at Stanley, [Even though Sallie worked for KING, you can't lie to protect your daughter! Whether through threats or bribery, I'm sure you know the truth in your heart!] Stanley shot back just as fast, [You're right, Simone. Everyone knows the truth. We reap what we sow. Aren't you afraid of divine retribution for how you treat your own daughter?]

Simone retorted, [I know best whether she's my daughter or not!]

The onlookers online were going nuts over the drama!

Stanley stopped tweeting when Terrence gave him a call, furious from the get-go.

"Delete that nonsense immediately," Terrence demanded, "and say you and Leonie were coerced by KING into spreading these lies."

Stanley's brow furrowed deeply. "Dad, Estelle is your granddaughter. Aren't you and her parents going a bit too far?"

"Since when do you tell me how to handle my affairs?" Terrence barked.

Leonie snatched the phone. "Dad, of course we respect you, but what good does ruining Estelle do for the Macclains? Weren't you using KING's connections just a while ago?" Terrence's voice grew even colder. "I have my reasons. Delete those tweets now, or don't blame me for being harsh!"