Reborn As Mr. Coldwell's Wife
Chapter 95: Sorry

Chapter 95: Sorry

Ellen sat across from Mason at the dinner table, her fork poking at her food without much thought. She glanced up at him, watching as he ate quietly, seemingly at peace. But no matter how calm he appeared, Ellen couldn’t shake the image of Mason’s face from earlier—the way his expression had darkened when she’d mentioned his family. It was totally different from how he usually acts, and it gnawed at her, filling her with regret.

She scolded herself silently, scolding herself for not being more thoughtful. How could she have been so careless? Bringing up his family had clearly stirred something painful within him, something she should’ve been more mindful of.

After dinner, Ellen joined Mason in the living room, settling onto the couch beside him. She fidgeted in her seat, her fingers twisting nervously in her lap as she struggled to find the right words. Mason, who had been scrolling through his phone, noticed her restless movements and looked up, raising an eyebrow.

"What is it?" he asked, his tone neutral, though there was a hint of curiosity in his eyes.

Ellen hesitated for a moment, biting her lip before speaking softly. "What do you think about our wedding picture?"

Mason didn’t miss a beat. "It’s big," he replied.

"I know it’s big," Ellen said, trying to keep her voice light. "But it’s pretty, right?"

Mason glanced at her, then back at the photo hanging prominently in the room. "If you say so," he said, his tone indifferent, as if he were discussing the weather.

Ellen frowned, her brows knitting together in frustration. "Does it have to be that big?" Mason asked, almost rhetorically, as he returned his attention to her.

Ellen nodded vigorously, her expression suddenly serious as she locked eyes with him. "Yes, it needs to be big," she insisted, the confidence in her voice caught Mason off guard. He felt her intense gaze and finally looked back at her, noting the determination in her eyes.

Mason studied her for a moment, his expression unreadable. The room was silent except for the faint ticking of a nearby clock. Ellen’s heart pounded in her chest, afraid that he might ask her to take the picture down, that he wouldn’t understand why it was so important to her.

"You’re okay with it, right?" Ellen asked, her voice tinged with a hint of anxiety as she searched his face for any sign of opposition.

Mason let out a long, tired sigh. "Whatever," he said, his tone lacking any real enthusiasm, but it was enough for Ellen.

Ellen’s face lit up with a smile, taking his response as an agreement. In her mind, it was a victory—one she wasn’t willing to let slip away. If Mason had said yes, even half-heartedly, she would hold him to it.

But the smile on her face faltered slightly as she thought back to earlier, the guilt creeping back in. She knew she couldn’t let the day end without addressing what had happened.

"I’m sorry," Ellen said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. Mason didn’t respond, but she could tell he was listening, his attention now fully on her.

"I didn’t mean to make you sad earlier," Ellen continued, her eyes fixed on the floor as she spoke. "I shouldn’t have brought up your family. It was insensitive of me, and I’m sorry."

Mason remained silent, his expression unreadable as he watched her. Ellen felt the words spilling out of her, a desperate need to make things right pushing her to continue.

"I just—I just wanted to understand you better," she said, her voice trembling slightly with emotion. "I didn’t think... I didn’t realize it would hurt you."

Still, Mason said nothing, his gaze steady and calm as Ellen’s words tumbled out, a mix of regret and concern. The more she spoke, the more anxious she became, the fear of having damaged something between them gnawing at her.

"And I’m really sorry if I brought up any bad memories," Ellen said, her voice softening even more. "I just want you to know that I’m here for you, no matter what. I—"

Before Ellen could finish her sentence, she felt something warm and unexpected against her lips, cutting off her words entirely. Mason had leaned forward, his hand gently cupping the side of her face as he kissed her.

The kiss was soft, tender, and completely took Ellen by surprise. Her eyes widened in shock, her thoughts scattering as she tried to comprehend what was happening. But then, almost instinctively, she closed her eyes and leaned into the kiss, her heart racing in her chest.

For a moment, everything else faded away—the awkwardness, the guilt, the tension. All that mattered was the feeling of Mason’s lips against hers, the warmth of his hand on her cheek, and the gentle pressure of his kiss.

When Mason finally pulled away, Ellen blinked, still trying to process what had just happened. Her lips tingled from the sudden contact, her heart pounding as she stared at him, wide-eyed.

Mason looked at her, his expression calm but with a softness that hadn’t been there before. Ellen opened her mouth to say something, anything, but the words seemed to escape her, leaving her in stunned silence.

Mason leaned back, a faint smile still on his face. His calm gaze met Ellen’s wide, surprised eyes, and for a moment, they just sat there in silence. Ellen’s heart was still racing, Her thoughts were all over the place, a mix of feelings she couldn’t pin down.

Ellen blinked, her mind snapping back to the present. She felt a rush of heat flood her cheeks as his words registered. Her mouth opened, then closed, her mind struggling to come up with a response. It was as if her usual quick wit had completely abandoned her, leaving her flustered and speechless in a way she’d never felt before.

"W-What?" she stammered, finally managing to get a word out. Her voice sounded strange to her own ears, breathless and high-pitched.

Mason’s smile widened, just a fraction, but enough to make her stomach do a nervous flip. He was clearly enjoying her reaction, and it only made her blush deepen. Ellen’s mind raced, trying to think of something, anything to say that would shift the balance back in her favor, but the more she tried, the more flustered she became.