The Price of a Secret

26 | THE PLAN

As soon as Mason enters the beach house, he heads straight to the bedroom to see Elizabeth. She is lying on the bed, pretending to be weak and confused.

"My dear," he says, crouching beside the bed.

"Mason," she whispers weakly.

"How are you?" He tries to appear concerned, but Elizabeth sees the coldness in his eyes.

"I feel weak and confused. What happened, Mason? I can barely remember anything. Just a wave hitting us."

"Oh, darling. We were hit by two waves. In the second one, I tried to hold your hand, but you couldn't grasp it. I even threw the lifebuoy into the sea, but it was in vain." He lowers his head, feigning distress.

She swallows hard and thinks, "Manipulative bastard."

"I'm glad you were there to save me."

"But I couldn't," and he closes his eyes.

"Mason, look at me." He raises his head. "What matters is that you tried."

He gives a weak smile.

"Could I sleep for a while? I'm so tired."

"Of course, my dear. I'll take care of the issue with the sailboat that got destroyed. My friend has already contacted the insurance company." He approaches and kisses her softly. Repulsion leaves a bitter taste on Elizabeth's lips.

Mason turns and leaves the room. Elizabeth wipes her mouth and turns to the side. How much longer could she stand being in his presence? Concealing her aversion was almost unbearable.

But she would have to endure it until they sorted out all the details of her escape.

——

The next morning, Elizabeth didn't go to work. She pretended to still be weak and asked Lily to reschedule the patients for the afternoon. Mason had left early and informed her that he would only be back in the evening. He seemed anxious and worried. Unable to get his hands on Elizabeth's money, he was in big trouble. He wouldn't be able to pay what he owed. And that troubled him because she would still be in danger.

Driving to the law firm, Elizabeth reflects on the decision she made. She would change her will, leaving everything to Lia and appointing Simon as the executor and legal guardian of the little girl. She trusted only him in this world. If something happened to her, Lia needed to be protected.

Parking the car, Elizabeth gets out and walks determinedly toward a new life. She couldn't hide anymore. She had learned from Simon that fighting for what she loved was infinitely better than merely enduring. Simon was offering her a new world, and she wanted to grasp it with all her strength.

The night they spent together was the most beautiful and intense of her life. Even what had happened between them in the past had not been so profound. It was merely a distant memory of a youthful love. Now, it was a more mature and real love, capable of facing anything. The way Simon touched her, being gentle and kind, melted away all the bitter memories of abuse. She felt that now she could move on to a new life. A life without traumas, violations, or fears. With him, she could be anything. It was incredible how love could heal any soul wound. Elizabeth felt like she was healed.

Sitting in front of the lawyer, waiting for the new document to be printed, Elizabeth warns him:

"I hope I can count on your discretion, Dr. Fisher."

"Of course, Mrs. Elizabeth. Our law firm is the most reputable in the city. None of our records become public domain. You can rest assured."

Elizabeth breathes a sigh of relief. Mason couldn't know about this maneuver yet, or he would kill her out of revenge.