Reborn As Mr. Coldwell's Wife
Chapter 36: Information

Chapter 36: Information

After regaining her composure, Ellen and Mason set off for her father’s house. They made a quick stop at a local bakery to buy her father’s and Colleen’s favorite cake. When they arrived at her father’s house, Colleen was waiting by the door. Her face lit up when she saw Ellen. "Ellen! Mason!" she called out, rushing to hug Ellen tightly.

Ellen returned the hug, feeling a sense of comfort. "Hi, Colleen," she said, smiling. "We brought your favorite cake."

Colleen’s eyes sparkled with delight as she took the cake. "Sweet!" she exclaimed, looking inside the box. "This looks amazing, thank you!"

Ellen and Mason followed Colleen inside. Colleen continued chatting, her voice filled with excitement. "I was surprised when Dad told me he invited you both for dinner."

Ellen chuckled. "I’m surprised he didn’t bother to tell me that."

Colleen just laughed, leading them into the living room. Mason stayed close behind, looking calm but attentive.

Mason broke the brief silence, asking, "Where’s Mr. Winters?"

Colleen glanced at him, a playful smile on her face. "He hasn’t come back yet, but probably soon. Mason, why do you still call him that? It feels so distant, like you’re strangers."

Mason gave little half-smile. "Old habits, I guess."

Ellen felt the tension from earlier resurface, but she kept her expression neutral. She took a seat in the living room, deliberately keeping a safe distance from Mason. She couldn’t stand being too close to him after what had happened back at the house.

Not long after, Colleen called out, "Ellen, can you come here for a bit?"

Ellen excused herself and headed to the kitchen, where she found Colleen storing the cake in the fridge. "What’s wrong?" Ellen asked, her voice tinged with curiosity.

Colleen shut the fridge and licked a bit of cream from the cake on her finger. "Nothing’s wrong," she said with a grin. "I just wanted to know how things are going with you."

Ellen leaned against the counter, trying to appear casual. "Things are fine."

Colleen raised an eyebrow, sensing more to the story. "Really? How about Mason?"

Ellen hesitated, feeling a bit nervous. "He’s good," she replied, but her tone wasn’t convincing.

Colleen noticed immediately, her smile widening. "Uh-huh. I guess you two have been getting closer, seeing as you ditched me to have lunch with him."

Ellen rolled her eyes, trying to deflect. "You still can’t let that go, huh?"

Colleen shrugged, her smile playful. "Maybe not. But seriously, how are things really going?"

Ellen forced a smile, trying to reassure Colleen. "Things are fine. Really, things are fine."

Despite her words, Ellen couldn’t shake the feeling that she was merely papering over the cracks. She glanced at Colleen, who was now sipping a drink and looking at her expectantly. This was probably the right time to ask about Edrick.

Scratching her forehead, Ellen hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Hey, Colleen, do you remember Edrick?"

Colleen’s eyes widened slightly as she looked up, tapping her chin as if trying to recall a distant memory. Suddenly, her face lit up, and she snapped her fingers. "Your high school boyfriend, right?"

Ellen nodded, correcting her gently. "Yeah, my ex-boyfriend."

Colleen’s curiosity was piqued. "Okay, what about him?"

Ellen took a deep breath, feeling a bit nervous. "I kind of ran into him recently."

Colleen let out a little scream, her excitement evident. "What? Really? When? How? Tell me everything!"

Ellen couldn’t help but chuckle at Colleen’s enthusiasm. "I met him at our neighbor’s housewarming party."

Colleen leaned in, her eyes wide with anticipation. "Then what happened?"

Ellen shrugged, trying to downplay the encounter. "Nothing much. We just said hi and that was it."

Colleen pouted, clearly expecting more. "What a shame. I was hoping you’d get to reminisce about your old passionate love."

Ellen shook her head, laughing softly. "There was no such thing."

Colleen rolled her eyes, teasing her. "Come on, you two were so into each other. You were like Jack and Rose, forced apart but not by death."

Ellen raised an eyebrow, her interest piqued. "Really? Did we look like that to you?"

Colleen nodded like crazy. "Are you crazy? Yes! Did you forget how heartbroken you were? It took you eight months to stop crying and stop living like a zombie."

Ellen’s eyes widened in surprise. "Was it that bad?"

Colleen nodded, her expression turning serious for a moment. "Oh, it was that bad."

As Colleen’s words sank in, Ellen felt a pang of empathy for Ellen Winters. This new information added a layer of complexity to her understanding of the situation. If Ellen Winters and Edrick hadn’t broken up, maybe she would have had a happy ending. Maybe she wouldn’t have ended up in a miserable life as Mason’s wife. The thought made Ellen’s heart ache. The life Ellen Winters had lived was full of pain and disappointment.

She glanced at Mason, who was still sitting in the living room, seemingly lost in his own thoughts. Mason was a good man, but his distance and emotional unavailability had taken a toll on Ellen Winters. Ellen could only imagine how different things could have been if Ellen Winters had stayed with Edrick.

Colleen leaned in closer, a mischievous glint in her eye. "You know what the crazy part is?"

Ellen tilted her head. "What?"

Colleen grinned, clearly enjoying the suspense. "Edrick’s company is a rival of your husband’s company."

Ellen’s jaw dropped in surprise. "What? Are you serious?"

Colleen’s eyes sparkled with mischief. "You didn’t know? Have you been living under a rock? Everyone in this world knows that."

Ellen’s mind raced. She knew Colleen had a tendency to exaggerate, and clearly not everyone in the world knew about this rivalry. But Ellen wasn’t from this world, so it was only fair that she might miss some details like this.

Colleen tilted her head, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "You know, it’s almost like fate playing a twisted game with you. Fascinating but kinda creepy, don’t you think?"

Ellen forced a nervous smile, her thoughts racing. It wasn’t fate, it was the author’s work.

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