Even hours after Aubrey left, Ellen couldn’t get their conversation out of her mind. How could she, after all the kind warnings Aubrey had thrown at her? Warnings, haha—more like threats. The entire encounter replayed in her head like a broken record, each word echoing with a mixture of anger and disbelief.
Ellen paced around the living room, her mind racing. Aubrey Jones in the novel was kind, forgiving, confident, and determined to get Mason back, but never, not ever, being so aggressive with Ellen. Hell, she even voiced guilt when Mason chose her over Ellen. This new Aubrey was a stark contrast, a fierce contender who wasn’t afraid to play dirty.
Ellen sat down on the couch, her hands gripping the cushions as she thought about the original story. In the novel, Ellen Winters was shy and obedient. She didn’t talk much with Mason, keeping her thoughts and feelings bottled up.
When she found out Mason started dating Aubrey again behind her back, she chose to do nothing. She suppressed all of her anger, sadness, disappointment, and jealousy. She never told anyone, only crying by herself in the dark corners of her room. No wonder she went crazy and became this evil woman who tried to harm Aubrey for ruining her life.
But now that Ellen was here, and she wasn’t Ellen Winters, she wouldn’t sit around and let anyone or anything bully her. She would fight back to her last breath.
Ellen’s mind wandered back to the confrontation. Aubrey felt threatened and became aggressive because Ellen was fighting back. Originally, Ellen Winters wasn’t much of a threat to Aubrey. Aubrey managed to make Mason start to fall for her again after saving the little boy from the accident. Ellen Winters was just a little rock Aubrey could kick aside.
But now... hoho, not only did Mason still not care about Aubrey, Ellen even showed her that she wouldn’t back off. That must drive Aubrey crazy. The realization brought a bitter smile to Ellen’s lips. She was changing the narrative, and it was throwing Aubrey off her game.
Ellen stood up and walked to the kitchen, looking like she had a plan. She needed to do something, anything, to channel the restless energy inside her. As she cleaned the already spotless countertops, she kept going over things in her head. She would have to be strategic, smart, and tough if she wanted to protect her marriage and her future.
The memory of Aubrey’s smug face made Ellen’s blood boil. She wouldn’t let that woman walk all over her. She wouldn’t be the passive, obedient wife who let her husband slip away without a fight. Ellen clenched her fists, looking determined as ever. She would fight for Mason, for their future, and for herself.
Ellen walked back to the living room and sat down, taking a deep breath. She needed to think clearly, to plan her next move. Aubrey’s aggression was a sign of her insecurity, a crack in her perfect facade. Ellen could use that to her advantage. She would find a way to show Mason that she was the one he should be with, the one who truly cared for him.
That was easy to say, Ellen thought, but actually pulling it off was a whole different story. She admitted to herself that she didn’t really have full confidence about Aubrey’s challenge to make Mason choose her. Hell, she and Mason still acted like strangers to each other most of the time. It wasn’t going to be easy to make the man fall for her. Ellen sighed, rubbing her temples.
She was so deep in thought that she suddenly jolted back to reality when a voice interrupted her. "What are you daydreaming about?" Mason’s voice came from the doorway, startling her.
Ellen looked up in surprise to see Mason standing there, his expression curious. "Mason? You’re home already?" she asked, glancing at the clock. It was still so early. She hadn’t even heard his car pull up or him coming inside.
Mason shrugged, walking into the room, and took of his coat. "Your father called. He wants us to come over for dinner," he said, his tone neutral as always.
Ellen’s eyebrows shot up. "Really? Why didn’t I know anything about it?" she wondered aloud.
Mason gave a slight shrug again. "He just called me a little while ago. Said it was a last-minute thing," he explained, running a hand through his hair.
Ellen watched him, trying to read his expression. Mason was hard to figure out, always keeping his feelings under wraps. She couldn’t help but feel a pang of frustration. Here she was, trying to figure out how to make him fall in love with her, and he was as distant as ever.
Ellen was so deep in thought that she didn’t realize Mason had walked closer. She was jolted back to reality when she heard his voice, low and almost teasing. "What could you possibly be thinking so much about in that little head of yours?" he murmured.
Ellen blinked once, then twice, her eyes refocusing to see Mason’s face just inches from hers. She could feel his breath on her skin, warm and unsettlingly intimate. Her heart skipped a beat, and for a moment, she was frozen, unable to process the sudden closeness.
Mason’s eyes bore into hers, and she felt a wave of emotions—confusion, panic, and something else she couldn’t quite identify. Before she could fully comprehend what was happening, her body reacted on its own. She pushed Mason away, her hands on his chest, putting a little more force than she intended.
Mason stumbled back a step, his eyes widening slightly in surprise. Ellen could feel her cheeks burning with embarrassment. "I-I need to get ready for the dinner," she stammered, her voice trembling. Without waiting for his response, she turned and practically ran to their bedroom, her footsteps echoing loudly in the otherwise quiet house.
Ellen shut the door behind her with a bit too much force, leaning against it as she tried to catch her breath. Her heart was pounding, and she placed a hand on her chest, feeling the rapid thump beneath her fingers. "What’s happening to me?" she whispered to herself, her voice barely audible.