Chapter 31 Mason Never Deserved You
Nina and John sat in uncomfortable silence, unsure of where to begin. The weight of their son’s actions hung between them, filling the room with an unspoken shame. Though Isabel hadn’t said a word, they could easily imagine how Mason had treated her since their wedding day.
Isabel, sensing their hesitation, felt a mix of confusion and dread. She wasn’t sure how to react, or what to expect from their nervous demeanor.
“Mom, what is it? You can tell me,” Isabel asked gently, her voice tinged with concern. She wasn’t ready to jump to conclusions, not without understanding what was on their minds.
John was the first to break the silence, his voice heavy with regret. “My dear, we’re sorry. We’re truly sorry for bringing you into this complicated marriage with our son.”
Nina’s voice cracked as she tried to speak, her eyes welling up with tears. “I don’t even know how to apologize, Isabel. But please, forgive us for this mess... I don’t know—” Her words faltered, overcome by a wave of emotion.
Isabel was struck silent, unable to form a response. The apology took her by complete surprise. These were the people who had never once harmed her, who had always treated her with kindness, and now they were the ones seeking forgiveness.
It took her a few moments to process what they had said. As the meaning of their words sank in, she realized they were apologizing for the very marriage that had left her so fearful and uncertain. How could they have known? she wondered, her mind racing. Had they guessed? Or had they seen the cracks in the facade that she had tried so hard to maintain?
Isabel knew all too well that if Mason found out his parents were aware of their situation, it would only complicate things further for her. His last warning echoed in her mind—how revealing his hatred for their marriage would cause him problems with his parents.
"Mom... Dad... What are you apologizing for?" Isabel asked, feigning uncertainty. She needed to be sure they were talking about what she feared.
"Don’t pretend you don’t know what we’re talking about, dear. We know you’re not happy in this marriage, and we’re certain Mason hasn’t treated you as a wife should be treated since the wedding day," Nina said, her voice gentle but firm. Isabel froze at her words.
If it weren’t for Mason’s threats to keep quiet, Isabel would have poured her heart out to Nina and John long ago. But Mason had threatened her countless times, using her family as leverage, and the fear of being misunderstood by him loomed over her. She had no choice but to continue pretending that Nina and John were mistaken, even as her heart ached to tell them the truth.
“Mom, that’s not true. Where did you get that idea?” Isabel’s voice wavered as she tried to deflect the concern in her mother-in-law’s eyes.
“He threatened you, didn’t he? That’s why you’re trying to hide it from us,” Nina pressed gently, her intuition cutting through Isabel’s attempt to deny it.
Isabel’s heart pounded, fear creeping in as she struggled to find words.
“Isabel, you don’t have to keep anything from us anymore. We know because Mason told us everything,” John said, hoping to ease the fear he could see in Isabel’s eyes.
“What?” Isabel gasped, stunned. Why would Mason tell them, when he’d threatened her so fiercely to keep quiet?
“Don’t keep it all inside and suffer every single day. We should have noticed sooner, but we didn’t, and you’ve paid the price for our decision. Mason never deserved you, Isabel. I think it’s time for you to leave him,” Nina finally said, her voice heavy with the weight of her resolve.
Nina’s heart ached at the decision, but she knew she had no other choice. She couldn’t stand by and watch Isabel’s life be destroyed by her son. If this marriage continued, it would only make things worse, trapping Isabel in a cycle of suffering. Nina believed Isabel deserved so much more than what Mason had given her.
Isabel remained silent, suddenly at a loss for words. The memory of Mason’s cruel behavior was still fresh in her mind, but the idea of leaving him felt impossible to accept.
Every fiber of her being screamed at her to walk away, just as Nina had suggested, but her heart stubbornly refused to let go. Isabel wasn’t ready to sever the invisible bond she had with Mason, forged through their marriage. And deep down, she didn’t want to give Mason the satisfaction of getting what he seemed to want—the end of their marriage.
A part of her was fiercely curious to see how far Mason would go in rejecting her, simply because she wasn’t flawless or conventionally beautiful.
“Say something, Isabel. You can’t stay silent like this. You have every right to blame us, to point your finger at us for bringing you into this terrible relationship with our foolish son. We’ll take any harsh words you have to offer because we deserve them,” John urged, the weight of her silence becoming unbearable.
Isabel took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves. She knew she might sound foolish, but she couldn’t hold back any longer.
“I will leave him, but not yet,” Isabel said, surprising Nina and John. They exchanged puzzled looks before turning back to her.
“He wants me to leave because he can’t accept me as his wife—just because I’m not beautiful…” Her voice faltered as she fought back tears.
“I know I won’t be with him forever, not like I once believed. But before I go, I want him to see that I wasn’t born just to be hated for my flaws. I deserve the love a wife should receive from her husband. I want him to understand that my love for him was greater than my imperfections, even if he never realizes it until after I’m gone,” she said, her words breaking as she sobbed.
Nina and John began to grasp the depth of the pain Isabel had been quietly enduring. They had never felt so ashamed of their son, who could reject such a beautiful soul over superficial flaws.
“You’re too good for Mason, my dear,” Nina said softly, hoping Isabel might change her mind and leave him.
“Maybe I am,” Isabel replied, “but I just want him to understand, one day, that I deserved to be treated better. Until then, I want to stay. I may not have been lucky enough to find a great husband, but I have the most loving in-laws. I’m not ready to leave you all just yet. Please, let me stay a little longer.”
Isabel knew she might sound pitiful, but she didn’t see any other choices.
“But he won’t treat you right, Isabel. He’s a fool, and—” Nina began, but Isabel cut her off, knowing that if it weren’t for Mason, Nina and John wouldn’t want her to leave.
“Please, Mom… I promise, I’ll be fine,” Isabel pleaded, and Nina couldn’t bring herself to argue further.