“I didn’t know, we were working when...”
“You were working together in your car over the holiday?”I asked, arching a brow.
“I didn’t want to be home alone, so I went to work and...”
“And of course she came in to ‘help,’” I finished for him."But why is she in your car now, Mason?"
He looked confused for a minute, then looked back at his car, then back at me, "She asked for a ride home, said she was having car troubles."
I laughed at him, "Oh my fucking god, Mason, you are either really fucking stupid or you just don't care.She knew you were swapping with Clara and made sure she would be in the car with you when it happened.Does she have access to your email?To the divorce documents and the custody agreement?"
He didn't answer, but the look on his face told me everything I needed to know.
Something dawned on me then: I couldn’t save myself from Andrew, but in this moment, I could fight for Clara.
I looked behind me at Jackson, still absorbed in his game, blissfully unaware.Then back to Mason.I nodded in the direction of his car, “Is she worth it?Worth losing everything over?”
He stood frozen like he couldn't respond.
“You broke her, Mason.She is questioning herself...your whole relationship.She doesn’t think you wanted to marry her, that you only did because she got pregnant.”I said quietly.“She doesn’t think you love her.You changed long before you started up with whatever the hell she is, Mason.You stopped being a good husband and a good father.”
He looked gutted, like he was fighting back tears, but I didn’t let it soften me.“Stop hurting her.Just sign the divorce and walk away," I didn't care, I pointed right at the bitch smirking at me, "I hope she’s worth losing your supposed world over.”
I turned and got back in my car.
Jackson glanced up.“What's going on, Aunt Cass?”
“Your dad has other things he needs to take care of, so you are going to come back home with me,” I said, starting the engine.
Before we pulled away, I texted Clara:On my way back with him.
My hands were steady on the wheel, but inside, the adrenaline was still burning.
Chapter 19
The drive back felt shorter than it should have.My pulse had steadied, but the confrontation with Mason still sat sharp behind my ribs.Every now and then, I glanced in the rearview mirror, watching Jackson.His legs swung idly, thumbs busy on his handheld game, the tiny electronic beeps filling the silence.No signs of upset.Just a kid wrapped up in his own little world.
By the time I pulled into my parents’ driveway, the late afternoon light had softened, throwing long gold shadows across the yard.
Clara was waiting at the door when I pulled in.Jackson barely had his bag slung over his shoulder before she crouched down in front of him.
“Hey, buddy,” she said softly, brushing his hair back.“Your dad and I… we need to work some things out.So for now, you’ll be staying full-time here, with me, at Grandma and Grandpa’s.Okay?”
Jackson nodded like it didn’t matter, already asking if Grandma had pie left.He bolted inside before either of us could say more.
Clara’s eyes found mine.“Thank you.I’m sorry I dragged you into this.I know it’s not fair...”
“Don’t,” I cut her off.“Don’t ever thank me for that.You’re my sister.I’ve got your back.I will always choose to protect you and Jackson.”
Her smile was small, but it carried a hundred unspoken things.I pulled her into a hug, holding on longer than I usually did.
Part of me believed Mason when he swore he wasn’t having a physical affair, but that didn’t erase the damage.Why wasn’t he listening to Clara?Why couldn’t he see what he was doing to her?Was it ego?Pride?Some warped belief that she’d just “get over it” if he ignored the problem long enough?
I’d never get people who swore emotional affairs weren’t cheating.Handing over your time, your attention, the best parts of yourself to someone who isn’t yours, that was betrayal.Friends didn’t blur that line.But the way that girl looked at Mason, sitting smug in his passenger seat, told me she knew damn well what she was doing.And maybe my own guilt made me hate her more...made me hate him more too.Because if being the other woman had taught me anything, it was how easy it was to pretend your choices didn’t wreck somebody else’s life.No matter how it started.
The smell of coffee and fresh bread hit me as soon as I stepped into the kitchen.
Mom and Dad were in the kitchen, mugs of coffee between them, deep in conversation.They both looked up when I slid into a chair.
