Find me in your labyrinth (Stella and Jonathan)

Chapter 2306



Charlie kept his peace, and Emily wasn't in a rush either, goofing around with Kya in the back, playing thumb wars as they rode along.

The moment Charlie steered the car into the retirement home's parking lot, Emily looked at him, a mix of surprise and warmth flooding her heart.

They got out of the car, and a nurse greeted them cheerfully, guiding them towards the common room. "Mr. Sullivan is in the middle of a chess game, playing quite impressively," she said with a smile.

Emily chuckled at herself, thinking, "After all those years hustling in Vegas, how could he not be?"

Of course, the nurse was oblivious to the backstory, continuing to praise Shawn Sullivan's card skills.

Emily raised an eyebrow, "They're not betting money, are they?"

"Absolutely not!" the nurse assured quickly. "We don't allow gambling here. It's just a friendly game of cards among friends, passing the time." That put Emily at ease.

Charlie, carrying Kya on one hip and holding Emily's hand with the other, reassured her softly, "Don't worry, I've arranged for someone to look after Mr. Sullivan. You're being too cautious."

Captured by his deep, comforting gaze, Emily bit her lip and nodded, "Thank you!"

"For what?" Charlie pulled her closer into a hug and playfully tapped her head, "If you want to thank me, marry me already. Stop making me worry all the time!"

Emily muttered under her breath, "I'm not going anywhere. What's there to worry about?"

Kya joined in, patting Emily's head, "Marry Daddy already. He's so nice!"

Charlie and Kya high-fived, their coordination perfect.

Emily couldn't help but laugh at their antics.

As they reached the common room, a cozy and warm atmosphere welcomed them. Shawn sat in a wheelchair, deeply engrossed in a chess game with another gentleman, surrounded by a lively crowd. The room was decorated with paper cutouts and red lanterns, exuding a festive vibe. Snacks and fruits adorned the tables, basking in the sunlight filtering through the windows.

The nurse announced their arrival, "Mr. Sullivan, your daughter is here!"

Shawn looked up, surprised, then excused himself from the game, "My daughter's here. You guys carry on!"

The nurse wheeled Shawn over, and

the others waved them off,

chuckling, "Getting a visit from your daughter first thing in the new year? You're lucky, Shawn!"

"Shawn's been talking about his daughter and granddaughter for days!"

"My daughter's visiting too, but not until the afternoon."

---

Charlie took over pushing the wheelchair, greeting Shawn with a polite smile, "Mr. Sullivan, happy New Year!"

"Ah, happy New Year!" Shawn replied, a bit awkwardly, "You didn't have to come all this way. I'm sure you're busy today. I'm doing just fine here." "Grandpa!" Kya, recognizing Shawn, ran to him without hesitation, "Happy New Year!"

"Ah!" Shawn lifted Kya into his arms, his face lighting up with joy, his eyes glistening, "Where did you spend the New Year?"

"At Grandma's!"

"That's great, that's great!" Shawn nodded happily.

In the adjacent lounge, Charlie

served Shawn some tea, asking gently,

You should've been our first

visit this morning. Are you adjusting well to celebrating New Year's here?"

"Adjusting well!" Shawn nodded eagerly. "It's very lively celebrating together. We watched the New Year's Eve show last night and had a big dinner together. It was splendid." Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

"That's good to hear," Charlie nodded in approval.

"Oh," Shawn suddenly remembered, pulling out a thick envelope from his pocket and handing it to Kya, "This is your New Year's gift from Grandpa."