Reborn As Mr. Coldwell's Wife
Chapter 57: Just Stop

Chapter 57: Just Stop

As the sleek black car with Mason and Ellen drove off from the hotel, Aubrey stood frozen, her eyes fixed on the taillights as they disappeared into the night. Her heart pounded in her chest, each beat resonating with a mixture of anger and bitterness. That should be her, she thought, her hands balling into fists at her sides. It should be her sitting beside Mason, not Ellen. The image of Ellen, radiant and beautiful, clinging to Mason’s arm, made her blood boil.

Philip, standing beside her, seemed oblivious to the storm brewing within Aubrey. He sighed contentedly, his eyes still on the now-empty driveway. "Isn’t Ellen looking lovely tonight?" he remarked, his tone casual but with a hint of genuine admiration.

Aubrey’s jaw tightened. "Yeah," she responded bitterly, the word clipped and devoid of any real feeling. The last thing she wanted was to hear more praises about Ellen. The mere mention of her name was like salt in a fresh wound.

She needed to get away, to escape this conversation before it went any further. Without another word, she turned on her heel, ready to walk away and leave Philip standing there. But just as was about to leave, Philip’s voice called out after her, stopping her in her tracks. "Hey, Aubrey."

Reluctantly, Aubrey paused and slowly turned back to face him. Her expression was guarded, her eyes narrowing slightly as she prepared for whatever Philip had to say.

Philip’s gaze was calm, almost too calm, as he met her eyes. "Don’t they look good together?" he asked, his tone almost conversational, but there was an underlying seriousness that Aubrey couldn’t ignore.

Aubrey’s eyes narrowed further, suspicion creeping into her features. She folded her arms across her chest defensively, tilting her head slightly as she scrutinized Philip. "What do you mean by that?" she asked, her voice laced with a mix of irritation and curiosity.

Philip sighed, his demeanor still relaxed, but there was a weight to his words now. "I know what you’re doing, Aubrey," he said, his voice gentle yet firm. "And it’s not that I don’t have sympathy for you... but you should stop."

Aubrey’s stance stiffened, her eyes blazing with challenge. She straightened her posture, folding her arms tighter as if to shield herself from his words. "What do you think I’m doing, Philip?" she challenged, her tone sharp, almost daring him to say it out loud.

Philip didn’t flinch. He met her gaze head-on, his expression softening just a little, as if he truly did feel for her. "You know the answer to that better than I do, Aubrey," he said quietly, his voice lacking any hint of accusation but instead filled with a kind of quiet understanding.

For a moment, Aubrey didn’t respond. She just stared at Philip, her mind racing as she processed his words.

She looked away, her gaze shifting to the floor as if she could find some clarity there. "You don’t understand," she muttered, more to herself than to Philip, but the words were loud enough for him to hear.

Philip took a step closer, his voice softening even more. "Maybe I don’t," he admitted. "But I do understand one thing, Aubrey. Mason... he’s not the same man you knew back then. People change. They move on."

Aubrey’s head snapped up, her eyes blazing with anger now. "And you think I don’t know that?" she snapped, her voice trembling with emotion. "You think I don’t see how he’s so distant with me now?"

Philip’s expression remained calm, though his eyes showed a hint of sadness. "I know it’s hard," he said gently. "But clinging to something that’s already gone... it’s only going to hurt you more, Aubrey."

Aubrey’s throat tightened, and she swallowed hard, trying to keep the tears from welling up. She hated feeling vulnerable. "I don’t need your pity," she managed to say, her voice barely above a whisper.

"It’s not pity," Philip corrected softly. "It’s concern. For you, and for Mason."

Aubrey’s eyes flickered with uncertainty, a crack forming in her defensive exterior. She didn’t know what to say, or how to respond. She felt exposed, as if Philip had peeled back the layers she’d so carefully built around herself. For a moment, she wanted to lash out, to deny everything he was saying. But deep down, a small part of her knew he was right.

Philip watched her closely, sensing the internal struggle she was going through. He didn’t press further, giving her the space to process his words. Instead, he spoke again, his tone gentle but firm. "You’re worth more than this, Aubrey. Don’t settle for less," he said.

With a small, understanding smile, Philip took a step back. "I’ll let you get some rest," he said softly, his tone still gentle. "It’s been a long night for all of us. Goodnight, Aubrey."

Aubrey barely nodded, her thoughts elsewhere as she watched him turn and walk away. She didn’t say anything as she was too lost in her own thoughts to manage a decent goodbye. The click of his shoes on the marble floor echoed in the empty lobby, a sound that seemed to amplify the silence that followed his departure.

Now alone, Aubrey stood there, her arms still folded across her chest, as if she could physically shield herself from the emotions threatening to overwhelm her. Philip’s words kept replaying in her mind, each repetition chipping away at the walls she had built around herself.

She hated how much those words resonated with her, how they struck a chord deep within her that she didn’t want to acknowledge. It wasn’t just about Mason anymore; it was about everything she had allowed herself to become in this futile pursuit. She had compromised so much of herself, her pride, her dignity, all for a man who no longer saw her the way he once did.

But admitting it, even just to herself, felt like giving up. It felt like giving up, and that was something Aubrey had never been good at. She wasn’t ready to wave the white flag, to walk away and leave behind the one thing she had clung to for so long.

Not yet.