Chapter 177: Failed Provoke
Ellen pushed open the door of the restroom, feeling much lighter. As she approached the sinks, she noticed Aubrey standing there, in front of the mirror, touching up her makeup.
Aubrey didn’t seem to notice her at first, or maybe she just didn’t care. Ellen took a spot one sink over, turning on the faucet and washing her hands. She pumped so soap into her palm, the soft foam spreading under the warm water.
Suddenly, Aubrey spoke. "You know," she began, dabbing at her lips with a tissue, "sothing good happened to ."
Ellen glanced over, her hands still working under the running water. "Oh?" she said. "What happened?"
Aubrey lips curled into a slow, slightly smug smile. She turned slightly, eting Ellen’s eyes in the mirror as she slid her makeup bag closed. "Mason contacted ," she replied. "He asked
to et him tomorrow."
Ellen’s hands froze under the water. For a split second, she didn’t move. So, he really ant it, she thought to herself. Mason really is going to talk to her.
She had seen this coming—he had said as much. But hearing Aubrey say it, seeing the satisfaction in her eyes, made the situation feel more real.
After a beat, Ellen forced herself to continue washing her hands, masking any hint of surprise. "Really?" she asked, her voice neutral as she rinsed off the soap.
Aubrey glanced at her, her eyes twinkled with joy. She was clearly enjoying this mont, as if delivering this news made her feel powerful. "Yes," she said. "You don’t need to ask if I’m happy. Of course I am."
Ellen dried her hands, her movents calm and asured, though her mind was racing. But she didn’t let any of that show. Instead, she just nodded, her expression composed. "I can imagine," she said softly, folding the tissue neatly before tossing it in the trash.
Aubrey finished with her makeup, tucking everything back into her bag with a little too much satisfaction. She snapped it shut, then turned to face Ellen, crossing her arms in front of her chest. The way she stood, with her chin slightly raised and her eyes fixed on Ellen, told Ellen everything she needed to know. This wasn’t just about sharing news—Aubrey was here to provoke her.
"I’m telling you this," Aubrey said, her voice dripping with false sympathy, "so you can be prepared. You know, just in case so bad news cos your way soon."
Ellen tilted her head, her eyes narrowing just a fraction as she studied Aubrey. "How thoughtful of you," she replied, her tone calm but with an edge of sarcasm. "What kind of bad news are we talking about?"
Aubrey’s lips curved into a small smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes. "Oh, I don’t know," she said with a casual shrug. "Maybe sothing like Mason deciding to co back to ."
Ellen almost laughed at the absurdity of it, but she held back, instead eting Aubrey’s gaze with a steady calm. She took a slow breath, considering her next words carefully. This was exactly what Aubrey wanted—to get under her skin, to make her feel insecure, to plant seeds of doubt.
"What makes you think that?" Ellen asked. She wanted to hear Aubrey’s reasoning, to see just how far she was willing to go with this little ga.
Aubrey kept smiling, though a hint of annoyance flickered in her eyes at Ellen’s calmness. She had clearly expected Ellen to react more strongly, maybe even to feel thrown off by the idea. But Ellen about to give her that pleasure.
"Mason reached out to ," Aubrey said, emphasizing the last word as if it was supposed to an sothing more. "He obviously still cares. Otherwise, why would he want to et up?"
Ellen leaned against the counter, folding her arms across her chest in a mirror of Aubrey’s stance. "You’re right," she said slowly, watching the way Aubrey’s expression shifted with interest. "Mason does care." She paused for a beat, letting the words hang in the air before continuing. "That’s exactly why he’s eting with you—to give you the closure you need."
Aubrey blinked, the slight widening of her eyes betraying her surprise. Ellen noticed that Aubrey hadn’t anticipated such a straightforward reply, and for a second, her confidence just fell apart.
"Closure?" Aubrey repeated. "You think he’s just going to let go? Just like that?"
Ellen didn’t blink, didn’t falter. She could see right through Aubrey now—this wasn’t about Mason’s feelings. It was about Aubrey’s need to cling to sothing that wasn’t hers anymore. Ellen realized then that Aubrey wasn’t as confident as she appeared. She was scared, scared of losing, scared of being left behind. And now, she was trying to provoke Ellen, to draw out her insecurities because that was the only way she knew how to fight.
"You know," Ellen continued, "holding on to sothing that’s already gone only hurts more in the end."
Aubrey’s face tightened, her eyes flashing with anger. "You don’t know what you’re talking about," she snapped.
Ellen just shook her head slightly, pity creeping into her chest. She didn’t feel angry anymore. She didn’t even feel threatened. She just felt sorry for Aubrey—for how desperately she was clinging to sothing that wasn’t real. "You’re right," Ellen said softly. "Maybe I don’t. But I know Mason, and I know he’s not going back to sothing that’s already broken."
Aubrey’s lips parted as if to argue, but no words ca out. Instead, she hurriedly grabbed her bag, her movents a bit clumsy and hurried. "We’ll see about that," she answered before turning on her heel and walking out of the restroom.
As the door swung shut behind Aubrey, Ellen sighed softly, glancing at her reflection in the mirror. She felt sorry for Aubrey and frustrated that she didn’t want to open her eyes and see. Aubrey could keep trying to fight, but Ellen knew the truth.
She straightened up, smoothing her hair and fixing her blouse before stepping out of the restroom. Whatever Aubrey had in mind, Ellen knew the outco. She pitied Aubrey more than anything now, because the truth was clear.
Mason had no plans to go back to her.
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