Chapter 6 Time to Face the Past
Mason Reed pinched the bridge of his nose, his expression growing heavier. With a deep breath, he ended the call abruptly.
He would return to Central City—but not yet.
Going back now would only tip his hand, alerting those who thought he'd perished in the plane crash, their schemes buried with his supposed corpse. They'd come up with something even more vicious to finish him off.
"Sago pudding or grass jelly—which do you like?"
Mason Reed blinked, caught off guard, turning to meet Clara Bennett's sparkling eyes. She smiled at him, her grin as sweet as the iced teas in her hands.
"What's wrong?" she asked, tilting her head. "You don't look so..."
"I'm fine." Being seen through like that—it didn't sit well with him.
His voice came out sharp and cold as he turned away, giving her nothing but his broad, indifferent back. "Drink it yourself. I don't like sweet stuff."
Clara Bennett stood there, clutching the two cups, stunned. After a moment, she bit her lip and jogged to catch up with him.
She trailed behind, keeping her distance. His sturdy frame was like an icy wall, a barrier to a world that was his alone. She was so close, yet it felt impossibly far.
The second day of their marriage passed uneventfully.
Mason Reed gave up the bedroom for Clara Bennett, taking the couch outside instead.
They had only one blanket, and he insisted she take it, wrapping himself in a threadbare sheet.
Clara Bennett felt a pang of guilt, lingering at the bedroom door for a long time.
But the words "Come sleep in here" knotted in her throat, refusing to come out.
He was right—she needed time to get used to having a husband.
She lowered her head, a faint smile tugging at her lips.
Rumors painted Mason Reed as cold, unapproachable, and quick with his fists. But to her, he didn't seem so bad. At least with her, he'd shown respect and patience.
By the third day, tradition dictated the bride return to her family home.
From the moment she woke, Clara Bennett's stomach churned with nerves.
For most, the third-day visit was a joyful occasion—the new son-in-law tagging along, a basket of pastries in tow, the family sharing a lively lunch before heading back by sunset.
But for Clara Bennett, this trip was about money.
Her father had promised a hefty dowry if she married in Evelyn Bennett's place—enough to cover her mother's treatment and her brother's schooling.
Yet here she was, three days in, and that promise had vanished into thin air. No one had mentioned it since.
Clara Bennett mulled it over. She'd have to demand it herself—but she couldn't bring Mason Reed. If he came, the whole charade would unravel. And if he got angry... who knew what he might do?
"Mason, I..." She racked her brain for the right words, some plausible excuse to keep her "husband" from joining her on this visit.
After wrestling with it, she swallowed her half-formed explanations and managed a weak, "I made breakfast. Come eat."
Mason Reed was in the yard, mid-workout, when her soft voice reached him. It was like a crack in the ice around his heart.
Clara Bennett had prepared steamed vegetable dumplings, a sweet rice pudding, and fresh soy milk. As Mason Reed stepped into the little house, it felt brighter somehow. Since their marriage, the place had shed its old, dusty gloom.
It was alive now, touched by the warmth of human hands—her hands. Everything she touched carried a cozy glow, a hint of sunshine.
Mason Reed's lips curved slightly as he sat at the table.
Across from him, the small woman seemed weighed down by something.
He thought for a moment, then said quietly, "You're supposed to visit your family today, right?"
Clara Bennett froze, biting her lip, her eyes dropping silently to the table.