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Chapter 6
Without saying a word, I pulled out my phone, opened the messages between Mason and Miss Taylor, and held it up for him to see.
"Is this really about Angie liking Miss Taylor? Or are you just trying to protect your own personal interest in her?"
I gave him a cold, sharp look. "How about I step aside and let you two play house with Angie? Would that make things easier for you?"
Mason's face went pale as he scrolled through the messages, realizing just how damning they were.
He quickly backpedaled, knowing full well that he couldn't afford to lose me. His cushy life, his luxury lifestyle, depended entirely on me. Without my support, he'd be stuck with nothing but his failing internet café.
So, he turned on Angie, scolding her harshly. Then, in a move that made my skin crawl, he dropped to one knee in front of me, grabbed my hand with a pitiful expression, and begged.
"Jenna, I swear, it wasn't me! Miss Taylor was the one trying to seduce me!"
"I only talked to her because of Angie—I was just trying to be nice for her sake. I had no idea she'd take things this far."
"To prove it, I'll block her right now!"
He pulled out his phone, and with an exaggerated show of loyalty, deleted Miss Taylor's contact information.
But I wasn't fooled.
A snake doesn't stop being a snake.
I had already started divorce proceedings in secret. It was only a matter of time before I was free of him.
A few days later, Mason called me while I was in the middle of a meeting.
"Jenna, you need to come to the café. Miss Taylor is here, and... well, it's a scene."
Sighing, I excused myself from the meeting and drove over.
The moment I walked in, I saw her.
Miss Taylor was kneeling in front of Mason, tears streaming down her face. She wore a plaid shirt and just enough makeup to look like she wasn't wearing any at all. Her red, tear-streaked eyes gave her the appearance of a tragic beauty.
A small crowd had gathered, watching the drama unfold with interest.
"I'm so sorry," she sobbed. "I just loved Angie so much. I never meant to cross any lines, but now I've lost my job because I cared too much!"
But she didn't stop there. She launched into a sob story about how she had been raised by her grandmother, who was now terminally ill and relying on her income for treatment.
"I can't lose this job," she cried. "My grandmother's life depends on me!"
The crowd began murmuring, throwing judgmental glances at Mason, and eventually, at me.
The moment Mason saw me, his face lit up like a drowning man spotting a lifeboat. He rushed over, practically begging.
"Jenna, thank goodness you're here. Look, Miss Taylor's in a tough spot. Maybe we can let her come back to the preschool? If it bothers you that she's close to Angie, we can transfer her to another class."
He even gave her a quick wink, which she took as her cue to crawl over to me.
"Mrs. Carter," she said, her voice trembling. "I know you don't like me, and I understand why. But please, don't take this job away from me. Not everyone is as lucky as you, living in a big house, driving fancy cars, and having a wealthy husband to take care of you."
She sniffled dramatically, adding, "If I lose this job, you'll be sentencing my grandmother to death."
The whispers from the crowd grew louder.
"Why are they being so cruel to her? It's just a job!"