Reborn As Mr. Coldwell's Wife
Chapter 71: In The Dark

Chapter 71: In The Dark

Aubrey walked back and forth in the hotel lobby, her heels clicking sharply against the marble floor. Her phone was clutched tightly in her hand, the screen glaring back at her with the same unanswered text messages and missed calls that she had been staring at for the past hour. Mason had ignored every single one of them. Not a single reply, not a single call back. It was as if he had vanished into thin air, leaving her in this godforsaken city with no explanation and no clue where he might be.

Her jaw clenched in frustration as she sent yet another message, her fingers flying over the keyboard.

"Mason, where are you? I thought we were going to Disneyland today. Call me."

She hit send and immediately tried calling him again, pressing the phone to her ear. The call rang once, twice, three times, before going to voicemail like all the other times. Aubrey nearly growled in irritation, shoving the phone back into her bag with a force that made the zipper rattle.

She had just come back from Mason’s room, where she had been shocked to find the housekeeping staff cleaning it. When she asked the housekeeper where Mason was, the woman had casually informed her that the guest had already checked out.

Aubrey had stood there, stunned, the words echoing in her mind. Mason had checked out? How could he have left without telling her?

She had to find out where he had gone. Maybe the receptionist would know. Maybe there had been some mistake. Mason couldn’t have just left without a word. He wouldn’t do that to her. Right?

She headed right for the reception desk. Her frustration was clear in every step, her jaw clenched as she approached the receptionist.

"Excuse me," Aubrey snapped, her voice sharp with impatience. "I need to know what happened to Mason Coldwell from room 5203. Did he really check out last night?"

The receptionist’s smile didn’t falter, though Aubrey could see the slight furrow of confusion in her brow. "One moment, please," she said politely, her fingers moving quickly over the keyboard as she pulled up the information.

Aubrey’s impatience grew with every passing second. She tapped her foot, crossed her arms, and tapped her fingers on the counter, her frustration simmering just beneath the surface. Why was this taking so long? She needed answers, and she needed them now.

Finally, the receptionist looked up, her expression confirming what the housekeeper had already told her. "Yes, Mr. Coldwell checked out last night," she said, her voice calm and professional.

Aubrey’s heart sank. It was true. He had really left without saying anything to her. The disbelief turned quickly into anger as she stared at the receptionist, unable to process how Mason could have just without so much as a text or a call to let her know.

"Did he say where he was going?" Aubrey demanded, though she knew it was a long shot.

"I’m sorry, ma’am, but we don’t have that information," the receptionist replied, still maintaining her professional tone.

Aubrey didn’t even bother to thank her. She turned away from the desk, her thoughts a chaotic mess. Mason was gone. He had checked out, left the hotel, and she had no idea where he was or why he hadn’t told her.

There had to be something she was missing. And then it hit her—Ellen. Ellen was still in Paris, still staying in the same hotel. Aubrey’s thoughts raced back to their last conversation, to the way Ellen had wished her a good time with that smug smile on her face. Ellen had known. She had known all along that Mason was leaving, and she hadn’t said a word.

It wasn’t long before she spotted her, casually walking in from the main entrance, a handful of shopping bags dangling from her arms. Ellen’s face was lit up with a bright smile, nothing like the storm brewing in Aubrey’s mind.

That smile—the sight of Ellen so carefree and happy while she was in the middle of a crisis—only fueled Aubrey’s anger. She hated it. It was infuriating, and Aubrey felt the rage bubbling up as she approached Ellen, her footsteps quick and determined.

Ellen noticed her almost immediately, her eyes widening just slightly before she regained her composure. "Aubrey, hey!" she greeted with a smile that felt all too smug. "How’s your day with Mason going?"

Aubrey stopped in front of her, her eyes narrowing with suspicion and barely contained fury. "You know he’s not here anymore," she snapped, her voice sharp. "Where is he?"

Ellen’s smile didn’t falter, though it took on a more guarded edge. "Why would I tell you that?"

Aubrey’s hands clenched into fists at her sides, her entire body tense with anger. She hated the calmness in Ellen’s voice. Ellen’s indifference was like a slap in the face, a sign that Aubrey was the one left clueless, always running after answers that seemed to slip away.

"You’re so full of yourself," Aubrey spat, her voice low and venomous. "You think you’re better than me, don’t you? But let me tell you something—Mason likes having me around. He enjoys my company. He always has."

Ellen let out a soft, almost pitying chuckle, her eyes flickering with amusement as she glanced down at the shopping bags in her hands before looking back at Aubrey. "If Mason really enjoyed your company," she began, her tone light but laced with something more serious, "he would have told you where he was going. But he didn’t, did he?"

The words hit Aubrey like a punch to the gut, but she refused to let it show. She wouldn’t give Ellen the satisfaction of seeing her crumble. Instead, she glared at Ellen, her frustration was just hidden below the surface.

Ellen’s smile faded, replaced by a more serious expression as she met Aubrey’s gaze head-on. "This should be another clear sign for you, Aubrey," she said softly, her voice firm but not unkind. "Mason doesn’t want you in his life anymore."