Reborn As Mr. Coldwell's Wife
Chapter 50: Hanging Out

Chapter 50: Hanging Out

Ellen stood at the door of Mason’s hotel room, her heart pounding in her chest. The way Mason looked at her, his eyes cold and his tone sharp, made her feel like an unwelcome intruder. She braced herself for him to chase her away or, worse, slam the door in her face.

Mason stared at her for a moment, his expression unreadable. Then, to her surprise, he stepped aside and allowed her to enter. "Fine," he said, his voice clipped. "Come in."

Ellen walked into the room, the door closing softly behind her. She felt a mix of feeling good and being on edge. The room was identical to hers, with the same neutral décor and modern furnishings.

She moved towards the edge of the bed and sat down, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. She watched as Mason walked over to the desk by the window and sat down, opening his laptop.

"Why are you still working?" Ellen asked, her voice soft, trying to break the tension.

Mason didn’t look up from his screen. "I have a lot of things to do," he replied with a short answer.

Ellen frowned, feeling a pang of frustration. "Can’t it wait until morning? You need to rest."

"No," Mason said flatly, his fingers flying over the keyboard.

Ellen sighed, her shoulders slumping. She looked around the room, trying to find something to focus on other than the obvious distance between them. The same neutral tones, the same artwork, the same vibe. She felt like she was in a mirror image of her own room, yet everything felt so different because Mason was there.

She glanced back at Mason, his expression focused and determined. It was as if he was building a wall between them with every keystroke. Ellen took a deep breath, trying to gather her thoughts. She had come here to connect with him, to find a way to bridge the gap that had grown between them, but it felt like an impossible task.

Mason suddenly looked up from his laptop, his eyes narrowing slightly. "What do you really want, Ellen?" he asked, his voice tinged with impatience. "Why did you come here?"

Ellen swallowed, feeling a lump form in her throat. "I wanted to see you," she replied, trying to keep her voice steady.

Mason sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Well, you’re seeing me now," he said, his tone flat. "So?"

Ellen hesitated, feeling how little he actually cared. "I thought maybe I could hang around a bit," she said softly. "It’s so quiet in my room."

Mason didn’t even glance up from his screen this time. "Turn on the TV," he said dismissively, his fingers moving rapidly over the keyboard.

Ellen bit her lip, feeling a mix of frustration and sadness. She didn’t say anything, just watched him work. After a few moments, Mason looked up, clearly irritated. "Stop looking at me like that, Ellen," he snapped. "I can’t concentrate."

But Ellen ignored his request, her eyes still fixed on him. "How was your day?" she asked, trying to keep the conversation going.

Mason didn’t even bother to look at her. "Same as always," he answered short. "Busy."

Ellen nodded, even though he couldn’t see her. She knew he was always busy. She took another deep breath and started to talk about her own day, carefully leaving out the part where she had met Edrick.

"I went for a walk around the city," she began, her voice soft. "It’s beautiful, you know? The streets, the cafes... everything. I even did a bit of shopping." She glanced at Mason, hoping for some sign of interest, but he remained focused on his work.

Even though Mason didn’t respond or look interested, Ellen didn’t care and continued her story. She had come here to talk, and she wasn’t going to let his indifference stop her. "The most nerve-wracking part came when a pickpocket got my wallet," she said, her voice still had a hint of the fear she’d felt earlier.

At that, Mason looked up, his eyes finally meeting hers. Ellen took a deep breath and continued. "But there was a kind man who saved me," she said, a faint smile touching her lips at the memory of Edrick’s intervention.

Mason’s gaze hardened slightly. "You need to stop being so careless, Ellen," he said, his tone sharp. "Who knows what bad thing might happen to you next time?" He then turned his attention back to his laptop, his fingers resuming their rapid typing.

She swayed her foot absently, her eyes drifting around the room. The bed looked so inviting, and she couldn’t resist its pull. She yawned, stretching her arms over her head, and before she knew it, she had let herself lay down on it, sinking into the soft mattress.

Her mind wandered back to her earlier conversation with Aubrey. She remembered how Aubrey had mentioned going to a café with Mason last night. Ellen’s curiosity got the better of her, and she called out to Mason, her voice hesitant. "Mason?"

"What?" Mason replied, not looking up from his work.

"I met Aubrey earlier," Ellen began, choosing her words carefully. "She said you two went to a café last night."

Mason paused for a moment before responding. "Yeah, that happened."

Ellen closed her eyes, feeling a mix of emotions. "How did that happen?" she asked, trying to keep her voice even.

"She was waiting for me in the lobby after my dinner," Mason explained, his tone was plain and simple. "She asked me to accompany her for a coffee."

Ellen mumbled, her words slurring slightly as she began to drift off to sleep. "I wish you’d never met Aubrey again," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

As Mason looked over at the bed, he found Ellen already asleep, her mouth slightly open. Her face was relaxed, free from the tension that had been there earlier.

He watched her for a moment before sighed and turned back to his work, the sound of his typing was the only noise in the room.