I swallowed the hurt. Told myself it was his birthday. I wouldn't fight with him today.
Mason blew out the candles without interest and picked at the meal I'd reheated more times than I could count.
That day, I gave Mason every dollar I had. I invested it all in his company.
I told him, "I believe in your dream more than anyone. I believe in you more than anyone."
I saw his eyes go red and wet. Mason almost never cried.
He pulled me into his arms. He didn't say a word. He just held me, tight.
At the time, I thought I had finally melted through that wall of ice. I thought I'd finally made it into his heart. All those years of waiting had finally paid off.
I had no idea it was the rope that would drag me into the abyss.
After that, I quit my job. I devoted myself entirely to taking care of Mason.
His company grew bigger. More business partners appeared around him.
I loved to eat, and it showed. I was a little heavy, a little loud. The partners looked at me with barely concealed disgust.
But I didn't care. Love was between two people. That was all that mattered.
A year of that life passed before the company ran into trouble.
I was pushed forward, made the legal representative on paper.