Chapter 5: Birthdays, Betrayals, and Bargains

The doorbell rang once, and the door swung open right away.

Mason Harper stood there, holding a suit jacket, tie dangling around his neck, shirt half-unbuttoned, and reeking of whiskey.

His hair was a mess, and he looked like he’d lost a fight with a bottle of Jack. Seeing him, rumpled and real, made my eyes sting with relief.

He squinted at me, like he couldn’t quite believe I was there. After a second, he reached out to touch my face, his drunken, confused eyes clearing a little, voice rough: “Why are you here? Didn’t you say you never wanted to see me again? Didn’t your precious brother forbid you from hanging out with me?”

His words tumbled out, half-accusation, half-concern. I could hear the hurt hiding underneath.

Question after question, plus the shock of tonight, made it hard to breathe.

My chest squeezed tight, the words jammed in my throat. I wanted to explain, but I could barely get a sound out.

My voice shook with tears: “Nathaniel has been watching me this whole time.”

The confession hung in the air, raw and ugly. I wiped my eyes, hating how small I felt.

He looked down, like he got it, and after a while, let out a laugh. “Interesting.”

It sounded bitter, not amused. He looked away, jaw tight, like he wanted to punch a wall.

I knew Mason’s place like the back of my hand. Most of my time with him was here. He worked, I painted, and he’d even set up a studio just for me.

The walls were covered in my sketches, canvases propped everywhere. The place smelled like turpentine and burnt coffee. It was home in a way the Brooks mansion never was.

He went straight to the couch and flopped down, lit a cigarette, and looked at me with that lazy, heavy-lidded stare.

Smoke curled around his head, softening the sharp lines of his face. He patted the seat next to him, but I stayed standing, needing the space.

I sat across from him. I hardly ever saw him this drunk, so I couldn’t help but ask, “Did someone make you drink?”

My voice was soft now, concern slipping in despite everything.

He flicked his ash, grabbed a cushion, leaned on it, and sprawled out. He sneered, like he’d heard a joke. “Who would dare force me to drink?”

His smile was sharp, a little sad. I realized how much he hid behind that front.

I took a breath. Dumb question. In Maple Heights, who’d dare force Mason Harper to do anything?

Mason was the kind of guy people crossed the street to avoid when he was angry. No one messed with him.

He raised his eyebrows, let out a short laugh. “I’ll take that as you caring about me.” He stubbed out his half-smoked cigarette, looked up, and his face went dead serious. In an instant, the playful look vanished.

His eyes locked on mine, unblinking. The air between us changed—tense, electric.

“Now let’s talk about how you plan to use me to hide from your precious brother,” he said, low. “And what you’re offering in return.”

His tone was all business now, no sign of the drunken slouch. I swallowed, trying to collect myself.

I told him calmly what had happened. Mason just listened, silent.

He didn’t interrupt, just watched me with that quiet intensity that made it hard to meet his eyes.

When I finished, the first thing he said was, “You turned down the Brooks family shares. I never thought I’d see the day when money wouldn’t work on Ellie Brooks.”

He smirked, but there was something like pride in his voice. Go figure.

I rolled my eyes. I do love money. Unlike the people around me who were born rich, I need money to feel secure.

I’d spent too many nights counting pennies as a kid to ever take comfort for granted.

I really did want to use Mason. The Harper and Brooks families were equally powerful and on good terms. The Harper elders liked me a lot. If I stayed with Mason, Nathaniel would at least care about appearances and wouldn’t move against me right away.

I knew Mason’s family would close ranks around me, and Nathaniel would have to play nice, at least in public.

I needed time to stall so I could wrap things up before leaving.

Every day with Mason bought me a little more freedom, a little more space to plan.

Today, Nathaniel really scared me. Everything in that room made my skin crawl.

I couldn’t shake the image of those photos, his voice in my ear. It felt like a nightmare I couldn’t wake up from.

Mason frowned, his gaze going cold. “After you said all those hurtful things and swore you never wanted to see me again, why should I let you use me?”

His words were a slap, but I knew I deserved it. I’d pushed him away for years, always running when things got too real.

“Because I saved your life.”

I looked him dead in the eye, daring him to argue.

I repeated, “Because I saved your life.”

The words tasted bitter, but they were true. I watched his face shift, old memories flickering in his eyes.

My words dragged him back to a rainy night when he was sixteen.

The thunder rattled the windows that night, the world outside washed in gray. I can still feel that cold in my bones.

No one would bother kidnapping an unloved adopted daughter, but the beloved young master of the Harper family? Jackpot. Unfortunately, when Mason was snatched, I happened to be next to him, pestering him with math questions, and got taken too.

I’d been trailing him through the school parking lot, notebook in hand, determined to get his attention. Never saw the van until it was too late.

Mason and I were kept in a dark warehouse for two days. On the day of the exchange, the kidnapper, high on something, lost it and pulled a knife, ready to kill us both.

The concrete floor was cold. I could smell gasoline and sweat. We barely slept, barely spoke. When the knife flashed, everything blurred.

When the knife came for Mason, I threw myself in front of him and took the stab.

I remember the pain, the heat of blood soaking my shirt. Mason’s scream still echoes in my nightmares.

That wound destroyed my left kidney. I was at death’s door, and because the rescue was delayed, my kidney couldn’t be saved.

The doctors said I was lucky. I didn’t feel lucky. Just tired.

After that day, Mason’s attitude toward me changed completely. He almost never refused me anything.