Find me in your labyrinth (Stella and Jonathan)
Chapter 2020

As the door clicked shut, Estelle's head throbbed with a splitting headache, compelling her to lie back down on the bed to catch her breath.

Glancing to the side, her eyes caught the necklace resting on the pillow. A soft smile creased her lips as she reached for it, clasping it around her neck where it lay snug against her skin. Almost instantly, her phone buzzed with a message from Jonathan: [Good morning, Ella!]

Estelle snapped a photo of the sun just peaking over the horizon in Zion and sent it to him.

Jonathan replied, [I'm leaving at 8. Keep in touch, I'll be back before you know it.]

Estelle, [Don't worry about me. I might just beat you to it and come find you!]

Jonathan, [Don't come looking. If you finish up early there, meet me at the estate we were at yesterday.]

Estelle, [Got it!]

Jonathan, [I love you!]

Estelle stared at those three words on the screen, her heart swelling with emotion to the point where tears threatened to spill.

Lately, her emotions seemed to be on a roller coaster.

Taking a deep breath, she replied earnestly, [I love you too, so much!]

When Estelle came downstairs, Lambert was waiting for her by the dining table. Upon seeing her, he immediately stood up, pulled out a chair for her, and neatly arranged her place setting. "Thanks," Estelle said coolly.

"My pleasure!" Lambert grinned at her. "Let's eat!"

The two shared a quiet breakfast, with Lambert cracking the occasional joke. Estelle didn't laugh, but the servants standing by struggled to stifle their chuckles.

After breakfast, Estelle glanced at the time and told Lambert, "No rush. We'll leave in a couple of hours. Take Evelyn and her boyfriend with you when you go, if you can manage it."

Lambert nodded, "Evelyn's easy, but her boyfriend might not want to leave. If I find him, I'll bring him along."

He was hoping Lynn would come through with a cure for Estelle.

"Don't push it. Take Evelyn first, and look after her for me."

"Why all this concern for her?"

"I'll tell you later."

"Alright then."

Lambert subconsciously followed Estelle's instructions, not sensing anything amiss.

Two hours later

Amiee messaged Estelle that Raiden had left Zion in a helicopter in a hurry.

Ten minutes after that, Lambert's car left with Evelyn. He hadn't been able to find Lynn. Estelle also got into action.

Just like before, she disguised herself as Myra to enter the underground twelfth floor.

Bernard was in the lab, and his woman was in the bedroom applying makeup.

Even confined to the twelfth floor underground, she dolled herself up every day, strolling through the artificially created seasons as if on vacation.

Estelle walked in and commanded, "Come here, help me curl my hair."

"Sure!"

Estelle approached, picked up the curling iron, heated it up, and pressed it against the woman's neck. The woman screamed from the burn and jumped out of her chair, only to find Estelle pointing a gun at her. "Call Bernard here!"

The woman's eyes widened in terror, "Who are you?"

"Do as I say, now, or else—"

"I'll call him, just don't kill me!" the woman interrupted Estelle, her hands shaking as she fumbled with her phone.

"Keep it steady and don't let on that anything's wrong," Estelle said calmly.

The woman nodded frantically, catching her breath before using her most coquettish voice on the call, "Can you come here a moment, darling?"

Bernard seemed to ask what was the matter.

"I'm feeling really sick, so, so sick!" The woman glanced fearfully at Estelle, maintaining her whiny tone.

Soon after hanging up, she hunched her shoulders and said, "He'll be here quickly!"