Chapter 21 Are We Leaving?
"Why have you been criticizing my parents from the beginning? They didn't invite you to stay, and neither did I," Isabel exclaimed, unable to contain her frustration. The disparaging remarks about her parents were more than she could bear.
Her emotions surged, and tears welled up uncontrollably.
"Oh, I see... So, I'm the one at fault for staying here. No, not me. My mom is the reason I'm here. Are you indirectly blaming her?" Mason retorted, leaving Isabel utterly speechless.
"What are you even talking about?" Isabel asked, genuinely curious.
"Don't play dumb. I'll discuss this with mom," Mason threatened.
Before Isabel could respond, he snatched the towel from her and retreated into the bathroom.
Isabel decided to wait outside until he was finished. As she stood there, she couldn't help but blame herself for the harsh insults her parents had endured. Despite knowing she wasn't at fault, she couldn't shake off the feeling.
Isabel consoled herself by acknowledging that Mason had the right to criticize her, considering the state of her bathroom compared to his. The toiletries he used were so expensive that they could cover a month or more of her household expenses. Still, she struggled to accept how Mason repeatedly insulted her parents.
Despite this, Isabel held onto the belief that time would provide answers. She hoped that one day Mason would realize his words were hurtful, and there was no shame in being less affluent.
Moments later, Mason emerged from the bathroom, dressed hastily after feeling suffocated inside.
Isabel didn't engage further; instead, she guided him to the living room for breakfast. Mason relished the meal, finding all his favorite dishes once again. After breakfast, he discovered Isabel packing in her room.
"Are we leaving?" he asked with excitement.
Isabel nodded affirmatively. Mason's excitement faded as he remembered his mom. He feared Isabel might reveal his discomfort in her house, anticipating that his mom would scold her.
"Good to hear. But am I the reason?" Mason asked curiously.
Isabel looked at him in disbelief but smiled sadistically as she replied, "Of course not. I think my mother-in-law needs me there. I'm actually missing my new family, and that's why we're leaving."
Isabel spoke those words with apparent sincerity, but the truth was quite different. She didn't want to take the risk of staying in her house any longer. The fear lingered that Mason would end up insulting each of his family members to their faces, and that was the last thing she wanted to happen.
"Well then... Let me call my driver to bring the car," Mason suggested, but Isabel promptly interrupted him.
"No need. I already called an Uber, and it's here. Let's go," Isabel said firmly. She was determined not to let Mason spend another minute in her house.
Isabel took a moment to meet her paralyzed dad and bid him farewell. Her dad welled up, hearing her departure, but was unable to speak. After that, Isabel began to leave with Mason. On their way out, Isabel's mom and her sister Emma were reluctant to let them go so soon. However, Isabel insisted, claiming that Mason had to attend an important meeting, and they had to leave as soon as possible. Although her mom and sister didn't express their protest fervently, Isabel felt guilty for having to lie to them. Besides, she couldn't inform her brother Liam, who had left for his office early.
Finally, they left. In the car, Isabel couldn't control her tears, wondering how many days it would be before she returned. She also felt a pang of hurt, pondering whether her husband would ever understand that the house he considered nothing but trash was a heaven to her.
Mason noticed Isabel's emotional state but dismissed it as melodrama. Ignoring her, he got busy with his phone.
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Isabel had hoped to meet Nina as soon as they arrived at Mason's house, but the place was deserted except for the housekeepers. Mason had left for the office, leaving Isabel alone.
After freshening up, Isabel headed to the kitchen, where she found housekeepers Martha and Lara preparing lunch. Isabel interrupted their cooking, insisting that she wanted to take over.
"No, ma'am... Nina ma'am will be furious if she hears about this," Martha protested, not wanting to let Isabel take charge.
"If you want anything special, just tell us... We can prepare it for you," Lara suggested, offering a warm smile.
"Okay... Okay... Let's just introduce ourselves first. I haven't properly gotten to know you since I came to this house," Isabel retorted.
Both housekeepers shared their names and mentioned they had been working there for many years. After the introductions, Isabel said, "Please don't call me ma'am. I'd be happy if both of you called me by my name because I'm really younger than both of you."
"I'm sorry to interrupt, but I really love cooking. If you both don't mind, can I cook lunch?" Isabel asked generously.
Martha and Lara couldn't refuse Isabel this time, so they left her to do the cooking while they tended to other household tasks.
Isabel, with her cooking skills, easily prepared lunch with the available ingredients. She served all the dishes after finishing the cooking.
Heading to her room for a shower, Isabel encountered Nina's surprise arrival.
"You're already here. You were supposed to stay at your house for two more days," Nina said, sounding confused. Isabel had anticipated this question since her arrival and had prepared a lie as an excuse.
"Mom, one of my relatives decided to visit our house suddenly, and they wanted to stay for a while. Since we don't have enough room for guests, I decided to leave so that our guests wouldn't face any problems staying there," Isabel explained confidently, trying to make it sound like a plausible reason.
Nina, being wise, didn't seem to believe Isabel instantly, well aware of her son's nature.
"Tell me honestly, Isabel. Did Mason do something wrong that made you leave so soon?" Nina asked firmly, sounding utterly suspicious.