Chapter 19 Pain Of Being Unwanted
"Please don't say that. My family isn't to blame here. If you want..." Isabel tried to make Mason understand, but he cut her off. His anger had reached a boiling point, and he had no intention of hearing anything from Isabel in return.
Mason was determined to unleash his anger on Isabel through his words. "Enough of your emotional drama. And, of course, you and your family put me in this position," he declared, speaking in a firm voice without raising it too loud, mindful of the fact that he didn't want any of her family members to overhear. He knew the consequences wouldn't be in his favor if his mom learned about any of this.
"How dare you marry into such a wealthy family when you've lived your whole life in this shtty slum?" Mason questioned, sounding curious, but his words felt like a tight slap across Isabel's face.
It wasn't that she wasn't prepared to hear something like this, but the reality of those words stung. Isabel wanted to scream at him, to remind him that it was his mom who chose her to be his wife. She also wished to point out that, despite knowing about his luxurious life, she didn't anticipate him being so narrow and poor-minded as to insult someone's financial condition.
However, she restrained herself from shouting those words aloud. Despite her anger, she still held respect for him as her husband. She knew that marrying him wasn't her fault, but in acknowledging her own flaws, she accepted the blame Mason had placed on her. So, instead of saying what she wanted to, she apologized, "I'm sorry, Mason. I'm really sorry for putting you in this position today. I know how difficult it is for you to stay in a house like mine, but I'm really helpless."
Her words and tears tasted bitter to Mason, as he considered it all to be a charade. Meanwhile, an unexpected power outage left Mason utterly speechless. "What the hell!" he exclaimed in shock, unaware of the last time there was a power outage in his house, always having a permanent electricity system.
Isabel realized the power outage was adding fuel to the fire, with no electricity for the next one or two hours. She felt guilty once again, having forgotten about the load shedding issues in her house.
"Le...Let me turn on the flashlight," Isabel said, leaving Mason dumbfounded.
There was a flashlight in the room that Isabel and Emma used during power outages. It was on the study desk in the corner of their room. Isabel hurriedly headed towards the desk to turn on the light. Lost in haste, she forgot that Mason was standing in the middle of the room. In the darkness, with no response from Mason, she stumbled into him, nearly falling to the floor. A pair of hands saved her from falling, and it was none other than Mason's.
Isabel gasped lightly as a pair of masculine hands enveloped her waist, and in an instant, Mason steadied her. However, she remained lost in the sensation of being in her husband's arms.
"What are you planning to do? Are you trying to get hurt so that Mom blames me?" Mason asked, irritated, assuming Isabel faked the fall. His words swiftly erased the warm feelings she had experienced during the embrace.
"By the way, it was unintentional. I wasn't trying to save you from falling, but I'm glad I did because Mom would eventually blame me if something happened to you," he clarified, making it evident that he had no genuine concern for saving her.
Isabel was once again shrouded in the grief of his harsh words. She couldn't help but smile sadly, realizing how a fleeting feeling of his touch made her heart flutter, only to be replaced within seconds by the familiar pain of being unwanted.
"Are you there? Is there really any kind of flashlight, or were you kidding? I hope your family can at least afford a flashlight," Mason questioned while Isabel stood lost in her own sorrow.
She resumed searching for the flashlight and promptly turned it on when she found it. Mason sat on the bed, tightly gripping his hair in frustration. He couldn't be more frustrated with what was happening in his life. He wished it were a nightmare and that Isabel didn't exist when he woke up. However, the harsh reality was that Isabel was his wife, and there was no escaping her.
Isabel noticed Mason's frustrated demeanor, and a sense of concern welled up within her chest, believing she was the cause of his suffering.
"Are you okay, Mason?" she asked, unable to resist expressing her concern, although she anticipated his reaction.
Her question only fueled Mason's depression, and he failed to control his rage. He rushed towards her, forcefully grabbing both her forearms.
"No, obviously I'm not. Do you think this surrounding is appropriate enough for me to be okay? I'm literally dying inside," Mason screamed at her, disregarding any concern for what her family might think.
Isabel, startled and frightened by his sudden outburst, whispered, "Please, can you keep your voice low? My family..."
"Why do you make my life a living hell? I'm literally losing interest in being alive anymore. Your existence and everything about you feel like a curse to me," Mason declared, applying pressure to his grip on Isabel's arms.
Despite the pain, Isabel pressed her lips tightly together, preventing any whimper. In that moment, she wished for death before hearing that she was a curse to her husband. Meanwhile, Mason dismissed her painful tears as an act and laughed sarcastically.
"My parents aren't here, so it's useless to act so pathetic. They may envy you, Isabel, but I don't. For me, you will always be a piece of sht," he declared, pushing her arms away from his grip.
Isabel nearly stumbled from the force but managed to balance herself. She lowered her head in pain, hiding her tears, which held no value to Mason.
As she continued to sob, Mason grew irritated, preparing to say something more, but he stopped abruptly upon hearing a sudden knock on the door. Isabel snapped to attention, wiping her tears, fearing it might be her mom.
Both of them stared at the door, with Mason annoyed and Isabel scared, uncertain whether her mom had overheard Mason's outburst.
"Sister, open the door. I brought you a candle," Emma's voice broke the tense atmosphere.
Isabel breathed out in relief, rushing to the door and swinging it open. Emma handed her a candle, saying, "I hope the power will come back soon."
As Emma observed Isabel's eyes, red and puffy from earlier crying, concern etched on her face. "Were you guys arguing over something?" Emma inquired curiously, having heard Mason's loud voice. Her question hung in the air, freezing Isabel in the moment.