Part 3Comments Guide: Win Her Back

At the airport exit, I saw Mason’s assistant waving at me. “Ms. Willow, Mr. Caldwell asked me to take you to a hotel. He said not to wander off, just wait for him there.”

The scrolling messages erupted.

[See? See? Mason truly loves you! Even when he’s with the supporting character, his heart is still here! Sweetie, don’t be difficult anymore.]

[His comment in the group is just a typical straight man's flaw, don’t mind it.]

Last Valentine’s Day, the messages had reassured me the same way. Back then, I wanted to see snow in Reykjavík. Mason frowned and refused, saying he hated snow. But before, when I said I wanted to see snow, he would immediately book flights and hotels, ready to take me anytime. I comforted myself, thinking perhaps he really did dislike the cold. So, I meticulously planned a warm vacation to Maui, only to see him suddenly grab his luggage and head out. He told me, very indifferently, “Seraphina is alone in Reykjavík. I’m worried.”

At the time, I was almost in tears. I chased after him, feeling wronged, clutching his arm like a protective, yet harmless, puppy, determined not to let him have any time alone with Seraphina. Because they had been childhood sweethearts. Everyone said that if Seraphina hadn’t rejected him, it would never have been my turn. I felt threatened, sinking into endless insecurity. Just as I was about to give up, guided by the messages, I discovered an album Mason had hidden. That album contained photos of us from when we first met to when we fell in love, and a secret I had never known. During the time my parents passed away, it was Mason who had secretly paid off their debts. To avoid burdening me, he had even deliberately had others tell me my parents had cleared the debts themselves. This album chronicled his subtle yet profound affection for me, proving that this love wasn’t just something I had shamelessly chased. Therefore, I stubbornly followed him to Reykjavík, desperately guarding our love.

Looking back now, I belatedly understood. The man who used to slow his steps to accommodate me had, at some point, gradually forgotten me. The two of them, Mason and Seraphina, in tacit understanding, ignored me, chatting and laughing with each other, leading many passersby to mistake me for the other woman. Mason never spoke up to clarify, and even when I deliberately took his hand to assert my claim, he shook it off. My leg was stuck in the snow, unable to move, and I was terrified. But after hearing my cry, he only glanced back before carrying the complaining Seraphina, who claimed her leg hurt, back to the hotel. If someone hadn't passed by and rescued me, I probably would have frozen to death that night.

Afterward, I cried, asking him if he truly cared about me. He stood with his back to me, not holding my hand, not turning around. Even his hair seemed to exude indifference. “Only a lovesick fool like you would ask such a childish question.” That night, I should have given up entirely. But the messages repeatedly told me that Mason was testing my love for him, holding back his affection because he feared I would leave. Unwilling to lose him, I chose to believe the messages.

But what was the result? He still chose to send me alone to a hotel, to wait obediently for him to come home, rather than be with me, choosing Seraphina instead. Thinking of this, I couldn’t help but smile bitterly, my eyes regaining their resolute determination. I gently pushed away the assistant’s hand. “No need. The company has arranged accommodation for me.” Coincidentally, the place I was going to spend ten years was London.

The assistant frowned, trying to persuade me. “Ms. Willow, why are you doing this? We all know you can’t leave Mr. Caldwell, and we know you’ll eventually go to coax him. He’s offering you an olive branch now, so just take it. Being so stubborn, you might genuinely lose him.”

I smiled faintly. “I don’t want him anymore. How can I lose what I don’t want?” In the assistant’s astonished gaze, I resolutely turned and walked away.

Five minutes later, Mason called. How rare. He actually called me first. After Seraphina came back, he had never initiated a call to me. I felt annoyed and cut him off without answering. He called again. The ringing sounded restless and anxious. I simply turned off my phone. Unexpectedly, a few minutes later, several cars abruptly forced my taxi to a stop. The driver, scared by the scene, refused to take me further, kicked me out, and sped off. The assistant opened a car door, his tone firm. “Ms. Willow, please don’t make things difficult for us.”

I sneered, “Mason is worried I’ll disrupt his date, isn’t he? Tell him his worry is unnecessary; I won’t bother him again.”

The assistant replied, “We don’t know what Mr. Caldwell is thinking, but he wants you to wait for him at the hotel, so we absolutely cannot let you go anywhere else.” With that, two men got out, making to force me into the car.

Just then, a sharp horn blared closer. A sleek, lustrous black Bentley forced the men back and stopped in front of me. The car door opened, and a tall, distinguished figure stepped out, holding the door for me. Sebastian still had that refined, gentlemanly air he’d always possessed, like a warm ray of light that illuminated everything around him with a gentle smile. He looked at me, extending a hand. “Coming to London and not telling me? You’re being a stranger.” I didn’t have time to think too much. I immediately took the escape he offered, slipped into his car, and left those men behind.