Reborn As Mr. Coldwell's Wife
Chapter 166: Too Far Gone

Chapter 166: Too Far Gone

Gerald sat at his desk, his eyes focused on the laptop screen in front of him. Suddenly, the sound of his phone buzzing on the desk broke his thoughts. Gerald glanced at the screen, his brow furrowing as he saw Edrick’s name pop up. He reached for the phone, unlocking it to read the message.

"I don’t know what your plan is, but you’d better stop trying to ruin Mason’s marriage. I’m not getting involved in any of your schemes."

His fingers tightening around the phone as he read the message again, as if hoping it would somehow change. He let out a low curse under his breath, the frustration bubbling up inside him.

"What’s wrong with these people?" he muttered to himself. He tossed the phone onto the desk, the screen face down, and leaned back in his chair, running a hand through his dark hair. "First my mother, now Edrick..." His voice trailed off, a bitter edge to his words as he shook his head.

He couldn’t understand it—why did everyone seem to think they could tell him what to do? His mother had been pestering him to "let go" and "move on," insisting that he was wasting his time with all of this, and now Edrick was backing out too. It was infuriating.

He had genuinely believed that getting Edrick involved would be a good move. It had seemed perfect, really—Edrick clearly had feelings for Ellen, and Gerald had seen it in his eyes, the way Edrick’s expression softened whenever her name was mentioned. Gerald knew Edrick loved Ellen, and it had seemed like the ideal way to break Mason and Ellen apart. Mason was Edrick’s rival, after all; Gerald thought it was only natural that Edrick would jump at the opportunity.

But now, with Edrick refusing to take part in the plan, Gerald sensed his carefully crafted plan starting to fall apart. It wasn’t supposed to go this way. Edrick was supposed to be on his side.

He let out a frustrated sigh, his shoulders slumping slightly as he closed his eyes, trying to calm himself. "It’s fine," he muttered. "There are a million other ways. It’s not the end of the world without his help."

If Edrick didn’t want to be involved, then so be it. Gerald could find another way—he was always resourceful. He just needed to rethink his strategy, find another way to create some distance between Mason and Ellen. He knew there had to be a way—there always was.

He reached for his phone again, unlocking it and staring at Edrick’s message, his eyes narrowing as he read the words once more.

"Coward." His lips curling into a sneer as he tossed the phone back onto the desk. He didn’t need him. He could do this on his own.

Finally, Gerald decided it was time for a break. He glanced at his watch—just past noon. Perfect. He had a lunch appointment with Aubrey, and he could use the distraction.

Gerald stood up, pushing his chair back and straightening his suit jacket. He grabbed his phone from the desk, slipping it into his pocket, and took a deep breath before heading out.

Gerald arrived at the restaurant a few minutes early, stepping inside and scanning the room. He was the first one there, as expected. The hostess greeted him with a smile, leading him to a small table near the window. Gerald took his seat, thanking the hostess as she handed him a menu and walked away.

Just then, he caught the sound of Aubrey’s cheerful voice chatting with the hostess. Gerald looked up, and his face lit up when he saw her approaching the table.

"Hey!" Aubrey greeted. She leaned in, wrapping her arms around Gerald in a hug, and he returned the gesture, his hands resting on her back for a moment before they both pulled away.

"Sorry, I’m late," Aubrey apologized as she took her seat across from him.

"Nah. You were literally ten seconds behind me."

"Alright, alright. Let’s see what they have," her eyes wandering over the menu as she opened it.

Gerald picked up his own menu, but he found it hard to concentrate. His gaze kept drifting back to Aubrey, her face partially hidden behind the menu as she read, her lips curving into a small smile.

What was he doing? With everyone refusing to help, with no one understanding, maybe he really should just stop all of this. Maybe it wasn’t worth it, all this plotting and scheming.

Aubrey suddenly looked up, her eyes meeting Gerald’s. She tilted her head slightly, her brow furrowing as she studied his expression. "What’s wrong, G?"

Gerald blinked, snapping out of his thoughts. He forced a smile, shaking his head. "No, nothing," he said quickly. "I was just thinking how beautiful you look today."

Aubrey’s eyes widened slightly, and then she laughed, a light, melodic sound that made Gerald’s chest feel a little lighter. She waved a hand dismissively, looking back down at the menu. "Oh, stop it. You’re just trying to distract me from ordering before you."

Gerald chuckled, leaning back in his chair as he watched her. But even as he smiled, the doubt lingered in the back of his mind, a nagging feeling that refused to go away. What if he did stop? What if he let Mason and Ellen be, and just moved on? He glanced down at his menu, the words blurring together as he thought.

But then, as he looked at Aubrey—at her smile, the way she seemed so at ease, so happy—something hardened inside him. What was he thinking? Stop? There was no stopping now. He had come too far, and there was too much at stake. He couldn’t just walk away, not when he was so close.

Gerald took a deep breath and sat up a little straighter. No, he couldn’t afford to have doubts. He had to stay focused. He would find a way to make things work, one way or another.

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