Ch. Mr.chatterbox for her, Mr.Icebox for me? Ice melts and so did my love. 2 Mr.chatterbox for her, Mr.Icebox for me? Ice melts and so did my love. 2

Chapter 2

Middle of the night. My head just hits the pillow when Mason’s phone dings.

A text.

Before I can say anything, he grabs his jacket and bolts. Doesn’t look back.

I’m left staring at an empty room.

I unlock my phone, watch the screen go black, unlock it again. Our chat thread sits there like a tombstone. Total silence.

I scroll through our entire message history. Nothing but walls of green bubbles—me rambling endlessly—broken up by his pathetic crumbs: “Yeah.” “K.” “Lol.”

That night I don’t sleep at all.

Next day I’m burning up—104-degree fever. Call in sick.

Text Mason. Nothing.

Call him. Voicemail.

Day three the fever breaks a little. I drag myself into the office anyway.

Sarah spots me and frowns. “Jesus, you look terrible. Eyes all swollen and bruised. Go home.”

I force a smile. “I’m fine.”

She sighs. “You really gonna turn down that overseas design position? You studied in Paris. Now you’re stuck doing assistant work. You seriously okay with that?”

Before, I never questioned it. Did it all for Mason.

Being an assistant meant leaving early, being home for him, taking care of everything.

But staring at that dead chat log now, something shifts inside me. Suddenly I’m asking myself: Has any of this actually been worth it?

“Sarah, let me think about it.”

Her eyes light up. “Yes! You’ve still got a week. Just say the word.”

At the door she turns back. “Seriously—don’t blow this chance again.”

I’m drowning in my thoughts when my phone buzzes.

A trending notification: #FormerNexGenFounderSavesCompanyFromBankruptcy

The photo makes my stomach drop.

Mason’s wearing a sharp suit, standing tall and confident. Nothing like the hoodie zombie I married.

Next to him stands Nora Ashford. Stunning. Polished.

That light in his eyes is back.

Comments flooding in:

Mason’s still got it! Saved the whole company in one meeting!

Seven years later and him and Nora still look perfect together!

This is 100% them getting back together. Heard Nora just got divorced!

Wait he’s married?? But honestly who wouldn’t pick Nora? She’s gorgeous AND brilliant.

Mason needs to divorce and get back with her. They’re literally soulmates!

Every word feels like a knife twisting into my chest.

Five years ago I lost my job because I got married. Job hunting after that was hell.

I asked Mason to help with my resume. He was always “too busy.”

I begged him to do practice interviews with me so I wouldn’t bomb them.

He snapped: “Babe, you know I hate talking. Stop pushing me.”

I crashed at every single interview.

Only landed my current job because a friend pulled strings.

And now here he is on camera—smooth, articulate, magnetic. A complete stranger.

My phone buzzes again.

After forty-eight hours of ghosting me, Mason finally texts:

Babe, sorry I left in a rush the other night.

Everything’s handled now. I’ll be back tomorrow.

You feeling better?

So that’s it.

His emergencies never involve me. His concern only shows up after he’s done playing hero for Nora.

I stare at those messages until the screen goes dark.

I don’t reply.