Reborn As Mr. Coldwell's Wife
Chapter 213: Nightfall Terror

Chapter 213: Nightfall Terror

The evening was quiet as Ellen stood beside Mason, helping him straighten his shirt collar while he finished getting ready to leave for the office. She adjusted his tie, her hands resting there longer than necessary, an uneasy feeling growing in her chest.

"Do you really have to go tonight?" she asked. Her gaze searched his face, hoping for a different answer.

Mason offered her a small, reassuring smile. He reached up, covering her hand with his own. "It’s urgent, Ellen," he explained gently. "Something I need to handle directly myself. But don’t worry," he added, brushing a strand of hair away from her face, "I won’t be gone long. I’ll be back as soon as it’s taken care of."

Ellen nodded, trying to match his smile, though the knot in her stomach hadn’t eased. She trusted Mason, but something about tonight felt... different. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it.

As they reached the front door, they both paused, neither one wanting to be the first to break the moment. Mason held her hand, his thumb tracing soothing circles across her knuckles. His gaze softened as he looked at her. "If it gets late," he murmured, "don’t wait up for me, okay? Try to get some sleep."

Ellen let out a quiet laugh, nudging him lightly. "You just said it wouldn’t take long. So which is it?" Her teasing smile made him chuckle, but she could see the signs of exhaustion in his features. Still, he only nodded.

"You got me there," he said with a playful smirk. "But still, take care of yourself, alright? Don’t worry about me."

Ellen nodded again, feeling her heart squeeze a little tighter as she gave his hand a gentle squeeze. "Just... come home safe, okay?" she said softly. She hated the worry in her voice, but she couldn’t hide it.

He looked at her, and for a second, he hesitated, as though something were holding him back. Then he shook his head, giving her one last smile. "I will. See you soon." He leaned in, pressing a quick, warm kiss to her forehead before turning to go.

As he walked away down the steps, he stopped abruptly and turned to look at her, as if he had something else to say. Ellen tilted her head, a soft question in her eyes. "What’s wrong?"

Mason shook his head, managing a soft smile. "Nothing, really. Just... take care of yourself, okay?" He looked at her face for a while, memorizing every detail, before he turned and disappeared into the night.

**

Hours passed, and the house fell silent. The comforting presence Mason left behind began to feel hollow, fading into the quiet of the living room where Ellen sat, glancing now and then at the clock on the wall. It was nearly midnight, and Mason hadn’t returned. She nervously drummed her fingers on the couch arm, trying to convince herself he would walk through the door any minute now.

"Maybe he got caught up with something," she muttered to herself. Vivi, who had been keeping her company earlier, had already gone to her room, just as Ellen had gently insisted.

The house was quiet, the only sound coming from the clock ticking on the wall. The silence weighed on her, and her mind drifted to thoughts of Mason, wondering where he was, what could be keeping him. Her heart leapt as a loud noise suddenly broke the quiet, and she sat up straight, eyes wide with fear.

With her heart pounding, Ellen quickly moved to the window, pulling the curtain back just enough to peer outside. Her eyes widened as she saw a police car crashing right into the gate, The metal rang out with a loud clang as it crumpled from the pressure.

Dread washed over her as she watched one of the security guards cautiously approach the car. The guard aimed his flashlight at the driver’s side, keeping it steady as he approached. Ellen held her breath, feeling her chest tighten as she watched the events playing out in front of her. Then, without warning, the car door burst open, slamming into the guard and knocking him to the ground. A sickening feeling tightened in her stomach as she recognized the man stepping out of the car.

Hans.

His eyes were cold and distant as he held the gun tightly, pointing it at the guard on the ground with a blank stare, then pulling the trigger without hesitation.

Ellen gasped, her hand flying to her mouth as she stumbled back from the window, her body cold with shock. God... is he dead? Her mind was racing, fear clamped down on her chest, suffocating her. "Oh god... oh no, oh no..." She looked around frantically. She needed to call the police—now.

With trembling hands, Ellen lunged for her phone on the couch, clutching it tightly as she quickly dialed for help. Her fingers fumbled in her panic, but she forced herself to focus, to press the numbers as quickly as she could. The chilling sound of gunshots outside filled her ears, making her heart pound faster.

Ellen then bolted upstairs, her mind screaming at her to put as much distance as possible between herself and Hans. Every instinct told her to hide, to stay out of sight. She could only pray that the security guards could hold him off long enough for help to arrive.

Once in the bedroom, Ellen locked the door, twisting the lock so hard she feared she might break it. Her gaze darted around the room, searching for anything that could help secure the door. She spotted a small couch by the window and pushed it in front of the door with all her strength, pressing it tightly against the frame.

Her breathing was quick and shallow as she pushed herself against the wall beside the dresser, trying to keep her body as small and quiet as possible. She crouched down, clutching her phone tightly in one hand, her thumb hovering over the screen, trying to connect with 911.

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