Reborn As Mr. Coldwell's Wife
Chapter 116: Because Of Her

Chapter 116: Because Of Her

Mason entered the office building at his usual fast pace. His tall frame and sharp suit always turned heads, and his staff greeted him respectfully.

"Good morning, Mr. Coldwell," one of the employees said, bowing their head slightly as Mason passed by.

"Morning," Mason replied curtly, nodding back as he moved toward the elevators.

But something was different today, and he noticed it almost immediately. There was a subtle shift in the air. As he passed through the office floor, the usual murmur of conversation seemed to shift into hushed whispers. Mason’s sharp eyes caught the way a few employees glanced in his direction, their conversations falling quiet the moment his gaze swept over them.

It wasn’t just a coincidence—he caught it more than once. A couple of them smiled awkwardly when they realized he was looking, before quickly ducking their heads and pretending to be busy.

Mason frowned slightly but didn’t think much of it. Office gossip was nothing new, and he had always been someone who preferred to ignore such trivial matters. Whatever they were talking about didn’t concern him. He continued to the elevator, stepping inside and pressing the button for his floor.

As the elevator rose, he glanced at his reflection in the polished metal walls. His expression was as calm and composed as ever, yet there was something faint—just a flicker of amusement—lingering beneath the surface. He thought of the morning, of Ellen’s kiss on his cheek before he left. Her shy smile, the way she tiptoed just to reach him... it had been unexpected, but not unwelcome. The corner of his lips twitched slightly, but he quickly suppressed the thought.

The elevator doors slid open, and Mason walked confidently down the hallway to his office. As he neared his office, he spotted Philip waiting by his desk.

Philip was already standing up when he saw Mason approach. "Morning, Mason," he greeted with a small wave.

"Philip," Mason replied with a nod, continuing toward his office door.

But before Mason could open the door, Philip quickly pushed himself up from his chair, hurrying to follow him inside. There was something in Philip’s eyes that Mason didn’t miss.

Once they were inside, Mason went to his desk, took off his suit jacket, and settled into his chair. He glanced up at Philip, who had followed him in and was now standing by the door.

"What is it?" Mason asked, raising an eyebrow as he began to open his laptop.

"I can’t believe you did that." His hand flying to her forehead in disbelief.

Mason paused for a moment, his fingers hovering over the keyboard. He leaned back in his chair, folding his arms across his chest as he looked at Philip with mild curiosity. "Did what?"

Philip scoffed, as if it should be obvious. "You know, asking Aubrey to be the model for our new product."

Mason blinked, his expression not shifting. He wasn’t sure where Philip was going with this. "The marketing team gave me a list of names. Aubrey fit the image we were going for, so I signed off on it. It’s nothing personal." Mason replied calmly.

Philip’s brows shot up, letting Mason know he wasn’t convinced. "Nothing personal? Isn’t she your ex?"

Mason’s expression didn’t waver. "And?"

Philip threw his hands up in disbelief. "And? Come on, Mason! Is that even okay? Working with your ex?"

"I’m a professional," Mason said smoothly, his voice steady and firm. He didn’t see why this was even a topic of discussion. To him, it was business as usual. Aubrey was a good fit for the campaign, and that was all that mattered. Personal history didn’t come into it.

Philip, however, was far from convinced. He leaned against Mason’s desk, crossing his arms and tilting his head slightly. "Sure, you’re professional. But is she? You know she still has... feelings." He let the word hang in the air, raising his eyebrows suggestively.

Mason gave him a flat look. "I’m not concerned about that."

Philip let out a long sigh, as if Mason was completely missing the point. "Look, man, you’re probably the only guy in this office who can say that with a straight face. But you know what? I don’t think you’re as unaffected as you’re pretending to be."

Mason narrowed his eyes. "What are you talking about?"

Philip leaned in closer, dropping his voice to a whisper. "You. You’ve been acting different. Smiling more, looking like something good happened. Like now! And I can’t help but think..." Philip paused, giving Mason a concerned glance. "It’s got something to do with Aubrey."

Mason stared at him, completely unamused. "That’s ridiculous."

"Is it? Come on, Mason. You’ve been practically glowing. People in the office noticed. Everyone’s whispering about it."

Mason didn’t bother with a reply, not immediately. He shifted in his chair, focused on his laptop, and saw his own reflection staring back from the dark screen. For a moment, he froze. Philip had been right.

He was smiling.

It wasn’t a broad grin or anything that could be described as out of character for most people, but for Mason, this was unusual. His lips were slightly curved, his eyes softer than they usually were.

Mason blinked and forced his expression back to neutral, but the damage was done. He now understood why everyone had been looking at him strangely. He rarely smiled like this—if ever.

"No," Mason muttered under his breath, shaking his head. "It’s not because of Aubrey."

Philip’s eyes widened, clearly interested. "Oh? Then what is it?" he asked, leaning closer with a glint of mischief in his eyes. "Come on, if it’s not her, then what’s making you so happy?"

Mason ignored the question, his jaw tightening slightly as he clicked through his laptop. But his mind was already elsewhere, drifting back to the morning. And to yesterday.

Without thinking, he pulled out his phone and began to scroll through his photos. His thumb moved smoothly over the screen, as though it had a mind of its own, searching for something specific.

And finally, there it was—the photo of Ellen. His thumb hovered over the image, and for a brief moment, Mason felt a warmth spread through his chest. The picture had been taken at the aquarium yesterday, when they were on their date. Ellen hadn’t noticed him snapping the photo, thanks to all the fish that were keeping her busy.

Philip, ever the keen observer, didn’t miss a beat. "See?" he said with a smirk. "You’re smiling again. It’s like I said! Something’s going on!"

Mason shook his head again, trying to hide the smile that threatened to show. "You’re reading too much into things," he muttered, though he knew that wouldn’t stop Philip. It never did.

Mason glanced at his phone again, the memory flashing back clearly. He had been standing just behind her, watching her instead of the fish. There had been something about the way she looked at things, her childlike curiosity, that had captivated him in a way he hadn’t expected.

And now, looking at the photo, Mason felt that same warmth again. It wasn’t Aubrey, not even close.

This... this was because of Ellen.

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