Reborn As Mr. Coldwell's Wife
Chapter 63: Not Alone

Chapter 63: Not Alone

She shook her head slightly, as if trying to shake off the strange thoughts. She needed to get back to Mason—hopefully, he was at the table by now. This whole evening was starting to feel like a series of awkward encounters, and she just wanted to find a bit of normalcy again.

Ellen cleared her throat softly and looked up at Edrick, offering him a polite smile. "I think I should head back to Mason now," she said, her voice steady, though she could feel a slight tension in her chest. "He’s probably wondering where I am."

Edrick nodded, his smile still in place but tinged with something that might have been disappointment. "Of course," he replied smoothly, his eyes lingering on her for just a moment longer than necessary. "I’ll see you around, then."

Ellen nodded back and turned to leave, feeling the warmth of his gaze on her back as she walked away. The soft hum of conversation surrounded her as she made her way through the crowded room, but it felt distant, like background noise. All she could think about was getting back to Mason and hoping he was already at their table.

When she finally reached the table, her heart sank slightly. The table was nearly empty, save for a few half-finished glasses of wine and scattered napkins. Mason was nowhere to be seen. Ellen bit her lip, her eyes scanning the room for any sign of him, but he was still missing. Where could he be?

With a sigh, Ellen sat down, feeling the cool fabric of the chair against her skin. She rested her hands in her lap, trying to keep herself calm as she looked around the room. She was so lost in her thoughts that she barely noticed the figure approaching the table until a familiar voice broke through the haze. "Is this seat taken?"

Ellen blinked and looked up, her heart skipping a beat as she recognized the voice. She was 99% sure she knew who it was before she even saw his face, but when her eyes met Edrick’s, her suspicions were confirmed. He was standing there, smiling down at her with that same easy charm that always seemed to catch her off guard.

"Edrick?" she said, a mix of surprise and amusement in her voice as she smiled back at him. "What are you doing here?"

He grinned, a playful glint in his eyes as he shrugged. "It seems I’m meant to be here," he replied casually, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. He pulled out the chair next to her and took a seat without waiting for her to invite him.

Ellen couldn’t help but laugh awkwardly, the situation feeling almost too bizarre to be real. "You’re not... following me, are you?" she joked, though there was a tiny part of her that wondered if it was true. It was starting to feel a little creepy, the way he kept appearing wherever she went.

Edrick chuckled, shaking his head. "I promise, I’m not a stalker," he said with a smirk. "But if you’re really worried about it, I can show you proof that this is my seat."

Without missing a beat, Edrick reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, folded card. He handed it to her with a chuckle, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "See for yourself," he said, leaning back in his chair as if to say, ’go ahead, I’m not hiding anything.’

Ellen took the card from him and unfolded it carefully, her eyes scanning Edrick’s name printed on it. She looked up at him with a shy smile on her face. "Well, I guess that settles it," she said, handing the card back to him. "This really is your table."

Edrick took the card from her, his fingers brushing against hers for the briefest of moments. "Told you," he said with a satisfied grin as he tucked the card back into his pocket. "But now I’m curious—why did you think I was following you?"

Ellen bit her lip, her cheeks warming slightly. "I don’t know," she admitted, her voice softening. "It’s just... you keep showing up wherever I go. It’s probably just a coincidence, but it feels a little... I don’t know, strange?"

Edrick’s expression softened, and for a moment, the playful glint in his eyes faded, replaced by something gentler. "I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable," he said quietly, his tone sincere. "Honestly, I just keep ending up where you are. Maybe it’s fate."

Ellen felt her heart skip a beat at his words, the way he said ’fate’ with a hint of something deeper, something that made her stomach flutter. She didn’t know what to say, so she just nodded, hoping her silence wouldn’t make things more awkward.

Edrick seemed to sense her hesitation and quickly changed the subject, his smile returning. "So, where’s Mason?" he asked, glancing around the table as if expecting Mason to appear out of thin air.

Ellen shifted uncomfortably in her seat as she tried to think of a response to Edrick’s question. Before she could say anything, however, her eyes caught sight of a familiar figure moving through the crowd. Relief washed over her as she recognized Mason’s tall frame making his way toward their table. His expression relaxed, as if he had no idea how worried she had been. Ellen straightened up slightly, her shoulders losing some of their tension.

Mason approached the table and, without a word, slid into the seat beside her. She turned to him, her voice a hushed whisper as she leaned in closer. "Where have you been?" she asked, her words coming out more urgently than she intended. "I was looking for you."

Mason glanced at her, his eyes calm and composed, as if her concern hadn’t really registered with him. "I was just greeting some colleagues," he replied simply, sounding pretty chill, as if this explanation was more than sufficient.

Ellen bit her lip, trying to keep her frustration in check. It wasn’t just that he had left her alone—it was that he hadn’t even seemed to notice how uncomfortable she was. "You could’ve at least waited for me. Why’d you ditch me all alone?" she muttered, her voice still low, trying to keep their conversation private.

Mason raised an eyebrow, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth as if he found her concern a little amusing. "But it seems like you weren’t alone," he pointed out, his gaze drifting over to Edrick. The way he said it, there was a hint of something beneath the surface, but Ellen couldn’t quite place it.