Chapter 3

3

I ignored her text and kept working.

I had decided to leave, but I was a professional. I needed to finish my projects before walking away.

Hours passed before the phone rang again.

Xena sounded like she was about to explode.

"Mason! What the hell are you doing? Why aren't you here yet?"

"Don't tell me you're still at the office trying to impress me. Learn to read the room. Everyone is waiting for you. Do you have any idea how much face I'm losing?"

I leaned back in my chair. "You said you didn't want me there to embarrass you. Why the sudden rush?"

"You…"

I heard her taking sharp, angry breaths, trying to contain her fury.

"Mason, I know I missed our anniversary. I was busy. I get that you're upset."

"But it's Caden's birthday. We're all here waiting. Just get over yourself and come down here. Don't make this awkward for everyone."

I froze. So, she hadn't forgotten. She just didn't care.

"Fine. If you want me there so badly, come pick me up."

The line went dead for a second before she erupted.

"Mason, don't push your luck! I'm giving you a chance to be part of this circle. Don't act like you're someone important."

"Whatever," I said calmly. "I'm going home then. Have fun."

Silence followed. Then, through gritted teeth, she muttered, "Fine. Stay there. I'm coming."

I realized then how far she would go for Caden.

She was willing to lower herself just to make sure his birthday went exactly as he wanted.

Twenty minutes later, I walked down to the curb.

Xena rolled down the window and shot me a glare, gesturing for me to get in.

I knew why she was hiding our marriage.

She told me it was to protect me, so people wouldn't say I only got my job because of her family.

Back then, I thought she was being thoughtful.

Later, I realized she was just ashamed of me.

By keeping me in the shadows, she could be seen with Caden without anyone talking.

I opened the back door and slid inside.

"What the hell is this?" she snapped. "Do I look like your Uber driver?"

I met her gaze in the rearview mirror and then pointed to the passenger seat.

There was a small sticker on the dashboard that read: "Caden's Spot."

Xena looked at the seat and cleared her throat, looking slightly embarrassed.

"He had a relapse a while ago. I let him put that there just to cheer him up. Why do you even care about a sticker?"

"Just drive," I said. "Before someone sees us."

She quickly started the engine and sped away.

I knew this car. Caden had given it to her before we got married.

It was her favorite possession.

I didn't know the history at first. Once, early in our marriage, I had to use it because my car was in the shop.

I wasn't used to the handling and accidentally scuffed the bumper. I got it fixed immediately.

When she found out I had touched her car, she screamed at me for an hour.

When she saw the repair, she actually slapped me.

That was the day I realized what that car truly meant to her.

I hadn't touched it since.

In seven years of marriage, this was only the second time I had been inside it.