Reborn As Mr. Coldwell's Wife
Chapter 17: Stupid

Chapter 17: Stupid

Ellen slowly opened her eyes, blinking against the harsh fluorescent lights of the hospital room. The sterile smell of antiseptic filled her nostrils, and she could hear the distant beeping of machines and the low murmur of voices in the hallway. She turned her head slightly, taking in the plain white walls, the small window with blinds half-drawn, and the chair beside her bed. She reached up to touch her face and then her body, relieved to find that she was still in one piece. "Thank God," she muttered.

What had she been thinking? The last time she had been in an accident, she had been transported to this bizarre novel world. Who could guarantee that something worse wouldn’t happen this time? Death? She shuddered at the thought. She must have been desperate to do what she did. But as long as Aubrey didn’t sacrifice herself, Mason wouldn’t start to have feelings for her again, Ellen thought she would be fine.

Being here meant that she had successfully changed the course of events. She realized she was alone in the room, and just as she was about to try and sit up, the door opened. A middle-aged man, whom Ellen believed to be the doctor, walked in, followed by Mason. The sight of him made her heart jump.

"Mrs. Coldwell," the doctor greeted her warmly. "I’m glad to see you awake. You’ve got nothing too serious—just some scratches and bruises. No broken bones or anything major. You’ll need to rest for a few days, but you should be fine."

Ellen nodded, feeling a wave of relief wash over her. "Thank you, Doctor."

The doctor gave her a reassuring smile before turning to leave the room, leaving her alone with Mason. The air felt tense, and Ellen braced herself for whatever was coming next.

Mason’s gaze was sharp as he looked at her. "So, you’re still alive."

Ellen glared back at him, her irritation bubbling up. "Do you wish I’d died?" she snapped. So you can be with Aubrey again? Haha, you wish. "Sorry to disappoint you, but I’m very much alive."

"I was joking," Mason said, though his expression remained flat.

Ellen rolled her eyes. "Is that how you joke? It’s annoying."

Mason’s eyes narrowed as he looked at her. "What were you doing there anyway?" he asked, his voice tinged with suspicion.

Ellen’s mind raced. She needed a logical answer, something believable. She couldn’t exactly tell him she had been following him or stalking him. That would sound insane. "My sister mentioned a good ice cream shop near there," she said, trying to sound casual. "So I went to check it out."

Mason’s expression didn’t change, but he seemed to be considering her words. "Sorry you had to leave work to come here," Ellen continued, hoping to deflect any further suspicion. "I didn’t mean to cause any trouble."

Mason was silent for a moment before he replied, "It’s fine. I was around there anyway."

Ellen pretended to be surprised. "Really? What were you doing there?"

Mason’s expression softened ever so slightly. "Meeting an old friend."

Ellen was taken aback. She had expected Mason to lie or give her a vague answer, but he had told her the truth. Deciding to see how far Mason would go with his honesty, she asked further. "Who?" Ellen pressed, trying to keep her tone light and curious.

"No one," Mason said, his tone final.

Of course, Mason wouldn’t tell her the truth. He probably thought she’d freak out if she knew he was hanging out with some woman. Ellen clenched her fists under the blanket, frustrated by the situation but determined not to let it show.

She took a deep breath, forcing a smile. "So, you were the one who brought me to the hospital?"

Mason nodded and Ellen watched him closely, trying to gauge his mood. Just as she began to relax, his eyes narrowed slightly.

"Are you stupid or what?" he asked abruptly.

Ellen raised an eyebrow, taken aback by his sudden change in tone. "What’s that supposed to mean?"

"You could have died, Ellen." Mason crossed his arms, his gaze piercing. "I thought you’d be smarter than that. You can’t just throw yourself into danger like that."

Ellen frustration boiled over. "What did you expect me to do? Just stand there doing nothing?" Internally, she added, Or let Aubrey save him so you will fall for her again? Big no.

His jaw tightened, and his eyes darkened, flashing with a mix of anger and something else she couldn’t quite identify. His posture stiffened, and he took a small step back, as if physically recoiling from her words.

"By the way, how’s the little boy?" Ellen asked, her voice softening. The thought of the child she had saved filled her with concern.

"The boy’s in bad shape. He’s in the middle of surgery," Mason said.

Ellen’s eyes widened in shock. "How can it happen?! He was supposed to be safe. I clearly pushed him out of the way!" she exclaimed, panic rising in her chest.

His expression didn’t change. "I’m just messing with you. The boy’s fine."

Ellen’s face flushed with anger. "You can’t joke about something like that!" she snapped.

Mason shrugged, his demeanor unchanging. "I thought you’d appreciate a little humor."

"Humor?" Ellen’s jaw dropped. "You need a better sense of what’s appropriate to joke about."

The room fell into an awkward silence as Ellen studied Mason, wondering what was going through his mind. His expression was hard to read, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes—concern? Frustration? She couldn’t tell.

Feeling the intensity of his gaze, Ellen glanced away nervously, her fingers fidgeting with the edge of the blanket. She bit her lip, her mind racing to find something, anything, to say that would break the awkwardness. But nothing came to mind.

Ellen’s thoughts drifted to Aubrey. She probably went home by now, Ellen thought, trying to reassure herself. Her shoulders relaxed slightly at the thought, and she took a deep breath, trying to steady her racing heart.

She didn’t have to worry about anything... for now.

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