Chapter 75
Mason:
God, I’m enjoying this a little too much.
Jess doesn’t get scared often, but now that she is?
I feel like I deserve popcorn and a cold drink just to enjoy the show. Watching her unravel is downright comical.
A full minute ticks by.
She says nothing. Just glares at me like she’s trying to burn a hole through my face, while flicking her gaze to Maximus—who, by the way, still looks like someone hit pause on his brain. He’s standing stiff, frozen in place, clearly waiting for Jess to say something.
But she won’t.
She keeps sitting there, using her patented death glare like it’s going to silence me.
Finally, after what feels like forever, she clears her throat and mutters, “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Mason.”
“You seriously don’t?” I say, head tilted in fake sympathy. “Jess, I get it..it’s hard to admit the truth, especially in front of the man you manipulated so beautifully—”
“Jesus, Mason!” she suddenly screams, her voice sharp enough to slice the air. “Can you fcking let me be for once?! All you ever do is accuse me! Bluff and threaten! Why the hell would I leave Maximus because I thought he was going bankrupt?! That’s ridiculous! I love him..with or without money!”
“Very well then,” I stand slowly, lips curling into a calm smile.. “One last thing though…”
She frowns. “What?”
“Nothing much. How about you explain why you lied and said Selene was behind your little disappearing act? The same one you conveniently called ‘kidnapping’. “
My voice drops just enough to make her flinch.
“Was she really, Jess?”
A pause. Then,
“What is this? An interrogation session?” Jess snaps, rolling her eyes. “I was involved in an accident, for God’s sake. My whole body hurts like hell, and I’m not about to sit here answering your damn questions.”
She leans back dramatically, then adds with a bitter smirk, “Unless my husband, Maximus, asks me directly. And I’m pretty sure he’s not the least bit interested in this ridiculous nonsense—”
“Who says it’s ridiculous?”
Her head snaps up.
I turn slightly to see Maximus stepping toward us, slow and steady, his hands shoved deep in his pockets.
Jess blinks in confusion. “W-what?”
“Who says I wouldn’t be interested?” he narrows his eyes. “Jesus, You told me Selene was the one who had you kidnapped. You lied to me, didn’t you?”
His voice rises, just enough to echo. “Were you even kidnapped at all? Because now that I’m thinking clearly, this whole thing reeks of bullsht.”
“Don’t you dare accuse me, Maximus,” she suddenly shifts in her seat, clutching her chest like she’s the wounded one. “I was kidnapped. Do you know the kind of trauma I endured being locked up in a kidnapper’s den for three long years?”
“Well then, answer the damn question.” he says coldly, “Was Selene responsible?”
Jess falls silent. Her lips twitch before she scoffs and rolls her eyes.
“Yes,” she blurts out. “Selene isn’t who you think she is. She’s evil. She’s manipulative. She’s—”
“Spare me that crap!” Maximus cuts her off with a snarl. “You knew you—”
“Uhm, that’s enough, you two.”
I clear my throat loudly, stepping between the emotional hurricane brewing. As much as I’m enjoying this drama—front row seat and all—I’ve got better things to do than watch them scream at each other like a bad soap opera.
Both of them turn to face me, eyes narrowed and waiting.
I straighten my jacket and sigh. “Maximus, how about we just end this circus once and for all?” I say, calm and clear. “Divorce her. For your own sanity. Jess is dangerous, and I can promise you this won’t be the last mess she drags you into. Do you even love her anymore?”
Before Maximus can respond, Jess explodes.
“Shut your damn mouth, Mason!” she screams.
In a blink, she throws off the blanket and leaps off the bed, standing beside Maximus with her arms defiantly folded across her chest. For someone who was just moaning about body pain, she seems miraculously healed.
“Maximus won’t divorce me, do you hear me?!” she yells, chest rising and falling like she’s about to combust. “I’m not Selene..he can’t just toss me aside! We’re stuck together. He loves me. And I love him right back. I gave him a child!”
“What child?” I ask.
Jess clenches her jaw so tight I swear I hear her teeth grind. “Who else, if not Kylie?”
I raise an eyebrow, slowly turning to Maximus. “And how are we even sure Kylie is yours, Max?”
Boom.
Silence.
Jess freezes. Her face drains of color so fast it’s almost impressive. Her mouth opens, then shuts again. Nothing comes out. It’s like someone hit the mute button on her soul.
I smile, just a little. Watching her glitch like that is almost too satisfying.
Then, a firm nudge hits my shoulder.
“What the hell do you mean by that?” Maximus growls.
I blink, feigning confusion. “Mean by what?” You’re..uhm going to have to be more specific, bro. I talk a lot.”
“Cut the crap, Mason,” he snaps, eyes narrowing. “Don’t play dumb. What do you mean Kylie might not be my child?”
I burst out laughing, hands in the air like I’m waving off the entire situation.
“Oh that! Come on, man. It was a joke! Just pulling your legs. Relax!” I chuckle and lean in, tapping his nose playfully. “I mean, she does look like you… just the nose, though.”
My grin widens as I glance at Jess, whose stiff posture is starting to betray panic.
“But hey,” I say. “we all know Jess is a professional liar, a manipulative little thing, but even she wouldn’t go that far, right? I mean... raising another man’s child and letting you believe it’s yours?”
I tilt my head and narrow my eyes at her.
“Or would you, Jess?”
“Kylie is Maximus’!” Jess suddenly screams, her voice cracking under pressure.
Maximus runs a frustrated hand down his face, then presses his palm hard against his temple. His shoulders rise and fall as he lets out a slow, pained exhale.
“That’s such a damn expensive joke, Mason. Fcking stop it.” His voice hardens, colder now. “My business is being sabotaged, and somehow, I’ve ended up wasting my time here…getting dragged into this circus.”
He turns to Jess with clenched jaw, fury pulsing through every word.
“All thanks to you.”
Jess starts picking at her fingers again like she always does when the mask starts slipping.
“Maximus, I—”
“Don’t,” he snaps, cutting her off with a glare sharp enough to slice through steel.
Without another word, he turns and stalks toward the door. A second later, the sound of it slamming echoes through the room.
The moment he’s gone, Jess whirls around to me, her face twisted with rage.
“What the hell was that about, Mason?!” she snaps.
“What was what about?” I tilt my head slightly like I genuinely have no idea what she’s talking about.
“I’m not joking, Mason.”
“Neither am I, Jess.” I lean in, just enough for her to feel my breath. “But I’ve got to hand it to you..you really pulled off that little act of deception well. Bravo.”
Her eyes narrow, but I don’t stop.
“Next time you drag me into one of your pathetic dramas, I won’t just warn you, Jess. I’ll burn the whole façade to the ground. I’ll make sure Maximus knows everything. Hell, I’ll go public with it. You won’t have a single corner to crawl into.”
Her bottom lip twitches, her teeth lightly clattering as she instinctively backs away—step by step—until her back hits the wall.
“You... you can’t do anything, Mason,” she stammers. “You’re full of sht. Just empty threats.”
I smirk. “Is that so? Fine then. Go ahead…push me one more time. Let’s find out just how empty my threats really are.”
Her face? Pure fear. But I’m done wasting my energy on her today.
I straighten up and step back.
The second I do, she bolts. Practically flies to the shelf, snatches her bag, and stomps toward the door like she’s on fire.
I watch her, savoring the moment like a fine drink.
At the corridor, she turns her head just enough to throw me a middle finger.
“Fck you, Mason. Go to hell!”
Then she storms off like a toddler denied candy.
I let out a low and dark chuckle. “Idiot.”
She’s such a dumb fck. And Maximus? Still too blind to see the storm he’s let into his life.
Why won’t he just divorce her?
Because of Kylie? Seriously?
I scoff under my breath and shake my head. Then, slowly, I pull out my phone, a small smile tugging at the corners of my lips as I scroll through my contacts until I find her name. Selene.
I tap out a message quickly, my fingers moving with purpose.
“Hey. I was thinking we could go out sometime. There’s something I’d really like to tell you..something I know you’d want to hear.”
I hit send.
Then, I wait.
My leg bounces slightly as the minutes drag on. First one… then five… then ten. Twenty.
Still nothing.
She must be busy.
Just as I’m about to slide the phone back into my pocket, I hear a ping .
A message lights up.
It’s from Selene.
“I’m sorry, Mason, but I’m not interested.”
Seven words.
Just seven... but they punch me straight in the chest.
I stare at the screen, not blinking. A quiet groan escapes my lips, low and bitter. I shouldn’t be this affected—but somehow, her words cut deeper than I expected.
Still… it’s not enough to stop me.
She doesn’t know it yet, but she will be mine. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow…but soon.
And I won’t stop until I make sure of it.