Reborn As Mr. Coldwell's Wife
Chapter 173: Death Anniversary

Chapter 173: Death Anniversary

Ellen hummed softly as she stood in the kitchen, the smell of fresh coffee and pancakes filling the air. She set the last plate of pancakes on the table, pleased with how everything had turned out. Breakfast was ready, and she was looking forward to a quiet, peaceful morning with Mason. She wiped her hands on a towel, glancing toward the clock. It was still early.

Just as she reached for her coffee mug, the doorbell rang, startling her. She frowned, setting the mug back down. Who could be visiting this early? Her first thought was Philip who occasionally dropped by unannounced, but something about the timing felt off.

Curiosity tugged at her, and she made her way to the front door. As she opened it, her breath caught in her throat. Standing on the other side were Gerald and Aubrey. Of all people, she hadn’t expected to see them together at her doorstep.

"What...?" Ellen’s voice trailed off, clearly puzzled. Her hand tightened around the door handle as she blinked at them. "What are you two doing here?"

Gerald, dressed in his usual sharp attire, smirked. "Is this how you greet guests, Ellen? No hello? No ’good morning’?" sounded teasing, but there was a hint of something darker that made Ellen uneasy.

She squinted at him, not amused by his sarcasm. Before she could respond, Aubrey, standing beside him with a look of strained politeness, stepped forward. "We’re here to see Mason," she said simply, her eyes flicking from Ellen to the hallway behind her, as if expecting Mason to appear at any moment.

Ellen’s heart sank a little at Aubrey’s words. She looked between the two, unsure of what to do. They hadn’t given her any warning, and seeing them together on her doorstep felt like an invasion, like they were barging into her space. "He’s—" she started, but before she could finish, Mason appeared behind her.

"Who is it?" Mason’s voice came from the hallway, and Ellen turned slightly to see him approaching. He already looked sharp in his suit and with his hair neatly combed, looking as handsome as ever. His brows furrowed when he saw Gerald and Aubrey at the door.

"What are you doing here?" Mason asked, getting right to the point. His gaze flickered between his two old friends, suspicion clearly written across his face.

Gerald grinned, though it didn’t reach his eyes. "Good to see you too, Mason. Really warm welcome."

Aubrey, on the other hand, looked more earnest, her eyes softening as she stepped forward. "We wanted to see you, Maze," she said, her voice gentler than Gerald’s. "Do you remember what today is?"

Mason’s face remained neutral as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Thursday?" he replied, sounding pretty indifferent, almost as if he were daring them to say something more.

Aubrey shook her head, her expression tightening with frustration. "No, it’s not just Thursday. It’s the anniversary of—" But before she could finish, Mason cut her off, his voice sharp.

"No," he said flatly, clearly shutting down any further conversation. "Stop there, Aubrey."

Ellen watched the exchange in silence, her confusion deepening. The tension between the three of them was so heavy, and she had no idea what they were talking about. What anniversary? Why was this such a sensitive subject? She looked at Mason, trying to gauge his reaction, but his expression was guarded, giving nothing away.

Aubrey’s face fell, disappointment clear in her eyes. "Mason, please," she urged, her voice softer now, almost pleading. "We just want to be there for you. Gerald and I... we can go with you. Don’t you want to see them?"

But Mason shook his head again, his expression hard. "I have to get to the office," he said, clearly uninterested in continuing the conversation. He glanced at Ellen, giving her a small nod. "I’ll see you later." Without another word, he stepped past Gerald and Aubrey, walking toward his car. The sound of the door shutting behind him created a pretty uncomfortable quiet.

Ellen stood frozen for a moment, her eyes still on the door. She saw the way Gerald and Aubrey were staring at Mason, yet she stayed right where she was. What had just happened? What was up with Mason acting so against talking about it?

Finally, Gerald broke the silence, his chuckle low and almost bitter. "Well, that went well," he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck as he exchanged a glance with Aubrey. Aubrey’s lips pressed into a thin line, disappointment etched on her face as she shifted on her feet, looking ready to leave.

Before they could walk away, Ellen found her voice again. "Hold on." She walked past them and blocked their way, crossing her arms over her chest. They couldn’t just walk away after all that without without explaining what had happened. "What was that all about? Where were you planning to take him?"

Gerald turned toward her, an amused but sarcastic smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "You don’t know?" he asked, sounding dramatically surprised. "I thought you were his wife, Ellen. Shouldn’t you know these things?"

Ellen’s eyes narrowed, her frustration building. She hated how Gerald found a way to make her feel left out, like she was missing some crucial part of Mason’s life that he and Aubrey had access to.

Aubrey sighed, stepping forward. Her voice was gentler than Gerald’s, there was still a hint of looking down on Ellen. "It’s the anniversary of Mason’s family’s death," she explained, her gaze softening slightly as she looked at Ellen. "Every year, we tried to go to the cemetery together with him... you know, to pay our respects. But Mason... he’s been avoiding it."

Ellen’s breath caught in her throat. Mason had never mentioned anything like that to her. She had known that his family had passed away, but he had never spoken about it, not even once. Now, standing there, she found herself overwhelmed by guilt. She hadn’t known, hadn’t even thought to ask.

She felt she wasn’t a good wife.

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