Reborn As Mr. Coldwell's Wife
Chapter 200: Short Escape

Chapter 200: Short Escape

Ellen stood still, her eyes fixed on the building in front of her. It wasn’t just any building—it was a beach house. Sunlight sparkled on the white walls, and the wide windows reflected the waves of the ocean in the distance. She could feel the salty breeze lightly tousling her hair, and the sound of the waves crashing against the shore reached her ears, giving the place a peaceful, almost magical feeling.

She blinked, still processing the sight as Mason turned off the car. They had just driven up to this quiet, secluded spot, and she hadn’t expected this at all. A beach house? Mason hadn’t mentioned anything about this.

As they stepped out of the car, Ellen turned to him, eyes wide with surprise. "Is this yours?" she asked, gesturing toward the house.

Mason nodded, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Yeah," he replied, locking the car doors. "It’s been a while since I came here."

Ellen’s mouth hung open for a second before she found the words. "Wow. I didn’t know you had a beach house," she said, shaking her head with a smile.

Mason chuckled softly, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Maybe you should get to know me better."

Ellen followed behind him, her heart racing a little with excitement. The idea of staying at a beach house hadn’t crossed her mind at all when she was begging him to let her go out. This was a much bigger surprise than she expected. Mason unlocked the door, and they stepped inside. The space was nice and warm, with soft wooden floors and large windows that offered an open view of the ocean just beyond. Taking in the surroundings, Ellen felt her worries start to melt away.

"This is amazing," she murmured, walking further in and running her fingers along the back of a couch. "Are we... staying here?"

Mason nodded, stepping beside her. "Yeah. We’ll be here for a couple of days," he answered, glancing around the room as if he was getting familiar with it again. "Thought we could use some time away from all the chaos, just to breathe."

Ellen smiled softly and nodded. It made sense now why Mason had insisted she pack a few clothes earlier. She’d been confused at the time, thinking he was just being overly cautious, but now it all clicked. He had planned this little escape for them. Away from the madness, away from the endless police updates that didn’t lead anywhere.

She glanced up at him, her heart warming. "I like it."

He gave her a small nod in return, his expression softening as he looked down at her. "Good," he said quietly. "You need it."

Later that afternoon, they made their way to the beach. The sun was hanging low, bathing the sand and water in a golden light. Mason had set up two beach chairs, side by side, and they lay down with their feet buried in the warm sand.

Ellen adjusted her sunglasses, letting out a contented sigh. This—this was much better than her initial plan of hanging out at Helga’s. She turned her head slightly to glance at Mason, who lay next to her, eyes closed, his arm resting on his forehead. He looked more relaxed than he had been in days, and it made her feel at ease too.

"This is perfect," she said, more to herself than to him, taking a sip of the fruity drink in her hand. It had one of those little umbrellas sticking out of it, making her feel like she was on a real vacation.

Mason opened one eye and looked over at her. "Better than Helga’s?" he asked with a slight smirk.

Ellen laughed, nodding. "Way better," she admitted, lifting her drink. "This is the kind of break I needed."

She leaned back into her chair, her eyes following the horizon where the sun began to dip lower, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink. But as she watched the sunset, a strange feeling bubbled up inside her. A thought that had been buried deep down for a long time suddenly floated to the surface, and before she could stop herself, the words slipped out.

"Mason... did you know that I didn’t come from this world?"

Mason, who had been peacefully watching the sunset as well, turned his head toward her, one eyebrow raised in confusion. "What?" he asked. "Are you saying you’re an alien or something?"

Ellen chuckled, shaking her head. "No, not an alien," she said, shifting in her chair to face him more directly. "I’m human, just... not from this world. I mean, not from this world," she emphasized, pointing downward, trying to make her point clear.

Mason’s expression softened, and he gave her a teasing smile. "So, you are an alien, then," he said with a grin, shaking his head. "What kind of weird books have you been reading lately? I should probably keep an eye on those, they’re starting to get into your head."

Ellen rolled her eyes but smiled at his teasing tone. She knew it sounded crazy, and she wasn’t sure why she’d even brought it up. Maybe it was the setting, the peace and calm of the moment that made her feel safe enough to share. Still, it felt good to finally say it out loud, even if Mason wasn’t taking her seriously.

There was a pause, the sound of the waves filling the silence between them. Then, after a while, Mason spoke again, his voice quieter this time.

"You know... I don’t care where you came from," he said, looking straight into her eyes. "This world, that world, whatever world. You’re here with me now. That’s what matters."

She looked back at the ocean, trying to focus on the gentle waves rather than the heaviness she felt inside. Mason’s words were comforting, but they also reminded her of a truth she didn’t like to think about.

She hadn’t come to this world by choice. She had been dragged here, pulled from her own life without any say in the matter. It was something she never liked to dwell on, but sometimes, in quiet moments like this, the thought would creep back in. If she had been brought here without warning, who was to say she wouldn’t be dragged back one day? Or worse—taken somewhere else entirely?