Chapter 18 Mom, I Wanna Leave
As Mason felt the walls closing in, a suffocating urge surged within him, compelling him to scream and demand his mom leave. However, a realization dawned on him; such an outburst would be deemed inappropriate. Opting for a subtler approach, he pulled out his phone to send his plea discreetly.
"Mom, I wanna leave. It's not possible for me to stay here. Why did you bring me into this hell?" Mason typed and sent the message to Nina, who sat directly in front of him.
Nina was taken aback when Mason's text notification popped up, and she couldn't help but shoot him a curious look. Tempted to question him immediately, she restrained herself and chose to read the text first.
After absorbing the content, Nina felt grateful that Mason had chosen to convey his sentiments discreetly. She was aware of the potential insult Isabel's family might feel if these thoughts were vocalized. However, beneath her gratitude lingered a flicker of fury at Mason's perception of Isabel's house. She couldn't fathom how he could harbor such thoughts about someone else's home.
"Speak carefully, Mason. Remember, it's your wife's house, the place she grew up, and where her family lives. You must be respectful, no matter the situation you face in this house," Nina responded, firing off a message to Mason.
Isabel, alerted by the exchange of texts and the corresponding notification sounds, observed the glances between her mom and Mason. Suspicion turned into confirmation, and she feared Mason might be expressing objections about her house to Nina. Worried about a potential onslaught of insults towards her family, Isabel swiftly decided to hasten dinner arrangements, hoping Mason would depart before any damaging remarks could be made.
Fortunately, Isabel's mom concurred with her and swiftly organized the dinner. As everyone, including Mason, gathered around the table, he was pleasantly surprised to find every dish presented was among his top favorites. However, his thoughts couldn't escape the notion that Isabel's family was attempting to win him over with a delightful dinner, perhaps as compensation for him marrying their perceived "ugliest daughter."
Even though the dishes were beloved by Mason, he found himself devoid of any interest, almost resenting each item on his favorite list.
"Isabel, why are you standing there? Please, sit with Mason," Nina suggested, noticing Isabel standing by Mason's side in case he needed anything.
"No, it's alright. I will eat later. You guys..."
Before Isabel could finish her sentence, Jenna intervened. "Isabel, you don't have to worry. I'm here, and I will help if anyone needs anything," Jenna assured her.
"And I don't think my brother-in-law will enjoy his dinner without his wife," Liam chimed in, eliciting laughter from everyone except Mason, who managed only an awkward smile.
"I would love to starve to my death before enjoying my dinner with this ugly sht," Mason muttered under his breath.
Isabel felt a pang of shame, aware that Mason wouldn't willingly choose to have dinner with her, as her brother had suggested. To preempt any further comments, she sat down with Mason.
The dinner unfolded cheerfully, with everyone engaging in lively conversation. Mason and Isabel remained relatively silent, arousing suspicion in Jenna. She observed Mason's minimal interaction with Isabel since their arrival.
Despite Mason secretly relishing the delicious dishes that satisfied his cravings, his ego prevented him from expressing gratitude to his mother-in-law. Deep down, Mason held firm to the belief that it was Jenna, not Isabel, who convinced his parents to marry off their "ugly daughter" to him. Thus, showing respect or gratitude to Jenna went against his moral code.
However, after wrapping up the dinner, Mason's family lingered for a few more hours at Isabel's house. As the time to depart approached, Mason found himself at a loss. He wished to leave alongside his family but grappled with how to persuade his parents.
Noticing Mason's desperation to escape, Isabel decided to come to his aid. "You can leave too if you want, Mason," she announced loudly, seizing everyone's attention.
"Why? Does Mason really want to leave?" Jenna asked with curiosity, echoing the thoughts of everyone present. "Mason, are you?" Nina inquired, her frown deepening as she stared at Mason, suspecting that he might have coerced Isabel into making the suggestion.
"N...No... Mom. Why should I? I don't know why Isabel suggested that," Mason replied, feigning innocence.
"Then alright. Stay here with Isabel until she decides to leave," Nina declared, smiling, which caused Mason to swallow hard. The prospect of staying in that house for even a few hours felt suffocating, and now he had no idea how many days he would be compelled to endure with Isabel. At that moment, Mason felt more lifeless than ever. Isabel, burdened by the belief that Mason was only enduring this for her sake, felt an even deeper sense of remorse.
Following Nina's proclamation, Mason's family bid their farewells and departed.
"Why are you standing here? Take Mason to your room, Isabel," Jenna instructed upon seeing Isabel standing silently.
"Please, come with me."
Mason followed Isabel to the room that Emma, Isabel's sister, used to share before her marriage. Although it now belonged to Emma, she had temporarily vacated it for Isabel and Mason's stay.
The room held little beyond an old bed, a small closet, a desk, and a modest balcony. Upon entering, Mason couldn't help but realize that even the servants at their house had better accommodations.
After Isabel closed the door, she felt a wave of shame and guilt for Mason's predicament and sought to apologize. "I can't express how sorry I am that you have to stay here. I really tried to find a way for you to get out of here," Isabel expressed her remorse, earning a sarcastic reaction from Mason.
"Oh, really? So you think I'm stuck here just because you couldn't come up with a proper excuse for me to leave this house?" Mason inquired, arching his brow with curiosity.
Isabel was puzzled by his question, genuinely having made an effort to spare him from staying in her house.
"All of this is happening because you married me in the first place. I can't believe I have to endure this environment, and I blame both you and your family for it," Mason vented, simmering with anger, yet managing to keep his voice restrained.
The mere mention of her family sent a sharp pain through Isabel's chest. Now, her family was being blamed solely because of her, and it stung deeply.