Chapter 17

Mason's POV

The sharp ring of my phone pierced through the quiet hum of my office. I glanced at the caller ID, my brows furrowing slightly at the number on the screen, one I couldn't recognize.

“Hello?”

“Mason, it’s Sandra.”

I stiffened at the sound of her voice. It had been years since our last conversation, if I could even call it that. The last time we spoke, it was a terse exchange laced with veiled accusations and unresolved tension.

“What do you want?” My voice was curt, betraying none of the unease I felt.

“Straight to the point, as always,” she replied with a laugh that didn’t reach her voice. “I just thought it was time we caught up.”

“We don’t have anything to catch up on.”

“Don’t we?” Sandra’s tone was sweet, almost teasing. “I heard you’ve been... keeping company lately. A girl, isn’t it? Happiness, is that her name?”

My grip on the phone tightened. The mention of Happiness sent a spark of protective anger through me. “What are you trying to say, Sandra?”

“Oh, nothing,” she said lightly, but I could hear the edge in her voice. “I’m just surprised. You always act like you don't have time for relationships. Yet here you are, playing house with some random girl.”

“She’s not random,” I snapped before I could stop myself.

Sandra hummed thoughtfully. “Interesting. You sound... defensive. That’s new.”

“Say what you have to say, Sandra, and leave her out of this.”

“I’m just curious, Mason,” she continued, ignoring my warning. “Is she worth it? Letting her in, showing her the parts of you you’ve kept hidden for so long. You think she’ll stay when she sees the real you?”

My jaw clenched. “You don’t know anything about her.”

“I know enough,” Sandra said, her voice softening. “I know you, Mason. You push people away for a reason. You think she’ll be any different?”

There was a long silence on the line. My mind raced, torn between my rising anger and the unwelcome truth in her words.

“She already is.” I said finally, my voice steady.

Sandra laughed, but there was no humor in it. “We’ll see how long that lasts.”

The call ended abruptly, leaving me staring at the phone, my thoughts churning.

Later that evening, I sat on the edge of my bed, the conversation replaying in my mind. Sandra’s words had stirred something in me, doubt, fear, maybe even guilt. She wasn’t entirely wrong. I had always kept people at arm’s length, using work, my past, and broken heart as excuses.

But Happiness was different.

She had stumbled into my life unexpectedly, her presence both comforting and unsettling. She didn’t demand answers from me or try to fix me. She simply was, and that was enough to make me question everything I thought I knew about myself.

I leaned back on the bed, and sighed, running a hand through my hair. I thought about the way Happiness had smiled at me this morning, and every other time, her laughter soft and unguarded. It wasn’t something I wanted to lose.

But Sandra’s words lingered, a shadow in the back of my mind. I knew better than anyone how easily things could fall apart. And I wasn’t sure if I was ready to risk it.

With another sigh, I reached for my phone. My thumb hovered over Happiness’s name in the contacts, the urge to hear her voice warring with the fear of what I might say.

Instead, I set the phone down and leaned back, staring at the ceiling.

For the first time in years, I felt the weight of the decisions ahead of me, and the consequences they might bring.

Would she stay with me if she knew everything? I find myself hoping she will.

It was a question only time could answer.

Happiness POV

I glanced at my phone, the screen still blank. I had texted Mason earlier, something casual about the book he had mentioned, but hours had passed without a reply. Normally, I wouldn’t overthink it, Mason wasn’t the type to hover over his phone, especially when he's at work. But tonight, something felt different.

He had been distant all day, retreating behind the guarded demeanor he wore when we met. The warmth he had started to show, the tentative trust building between us, seemed to have vanished overnight.

I sighed, staring at my notes spread across the small desk in my room. The words on the page blurred as my mind drifted to Mason’s sharp but thoughtful gaze, the way his voice softened when he spoke to me.

But now, it felt like he was slipping away.

Determined not to let the uncertainty fester, I grabbed my jacket and headed to his room.

I hesitated for a moment before knocking, my fist hovering just above the door.

What if I was reading too much into this? What if he was just busy, and I was intruding?

But the memory of his strained expression when he got back from work pushed me forward. I knocked lightly.

It took a few seconds before the door opened, revealing Mason. He looked tired, his hair disheveled, as if he’d spent the day running his hands through it. His usual cool expression faltered when he saw me standing there.

“Happiness,” he said, his voice a mix of surprise and something I couldn’t quite place.

“Hey,” I said softly, trying to gauge his mood. “I know it’s late, but… are you okay?”

He stepped aside to let me in, his movements stiff. “I’m fine. You didn’t have to come.”

“I know,” I said, following him inside. “But you’ve been… different. Distant. And I guess I just wanted to check on you. See if you're okay.”

Mason leaned against the counter, crossing his arms. “I’ve had a lot on my mind. It’s nothing to worry about.”

I frowned, stepping closer. “Mason, you can tell me if something’s wrong. I’m here for you.”

He shook his head, his jaw tightening. “It’s not that simple.”

“Why not?” I pressed, hoping he'd open up.

“Because you don’t know everything,” he said, his voice low but edged with frustration. “You think you do, but you don’t. And if you did, you might not…” He trailed off, looking away.

“Might not what?” I asked, my heart sinking.

Mason exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. “You might not stay.”

The words hung heavy in the air, and for a moment, neither of us spoke.

I took a step closer, my voice steady despite the turmoil I felt. “You’re right, Mason. I don’t know everything about you. But that doesn’t mean I’m going anywhere. Whatever it is, whatever you think is too much. I want to know. I want to understand.”

He looked at me then, his eyes searching mine as if trying to find a reason to believe me. But the doubt in his gaze was unmistakable.

“I’ve seen people walk away before,” he said finally, his voice barely above a whisper. “I’m not sure I can watch it happen again.”

My chest tightened at the rawness in his words. Without thinking, I reached out, taking his hand in mine.

“Then let me prove to you that I’m not like them,” I said firmly. “But you have to let me in, Mason. You can’t keep shutting me out.”

For a moment, he didn’t move, his expression unreadable. Then, slowly, he squeezed my hand, his grip tentative but enough to make my heart flutter.

“I’ll try,” he said softly.

It wasn’t everything, but it was a start.

I smiled faintly, the warmth returning to my voice. “That’s all I ask.”

As we sat together in the quiet of his room, Mason’s walls didn’t crumble completely, but a crack had appeared. And for me, that was enough - for now.