Upon My Release
In the photo, Mason Lynn smiled gently. He'd promised to wait for me—to marry me once I was free.
The sunlight was glaring; I stood at the corner for half an hour, but I didn't see the familiar black sedan.
I pulled out my phone and dialed that all-too-familiar number. It rang three times before someone hung up.
A knot formed in my chest as I followed the memory of the path toward Mason Lynn's villa.
Just as I reached the gate, I saw his car parked in front of the garage.
The car door opened; Mason got out first, then reached out to help a woman in a white dress step down.
Her belly was unmistakably pregnant, and she needed gentle support as she walked.
Mason lowered his head to speak to her, his voice softer than anything I'd ever heard before.
My feet felt as heavy as lead, rooted to the spot as I watched them walk into the villa.
I don't know how long had passed before I finally managed to shuffle forward and push the door open.
In the living room, a woman sat on the sofa eating fruit, while Mason Lynn peeled an orange beside her. When he offered a segment to her lips, he carefully removed the white pith.
"Mason Lynn." My voice trembled, barely steady.
Mason looked up and saw me; the tenderness in his face disappeared instantly, replaced by a tangled expression.
"Willow, what are you doing here?" He stood up, instinctively stepping in front of the woman.
The woman looked up at me, her eyes flickering with caution and a subtle hint of challenge.
"Who is she?" I pointed at the woman's belly, my finger turning white from the pressure.
"My name is Tessa Xavier." The woman spoke first, her voice soft, "I'm five months pregnant with Mason Lynn's child."
"Five months?" I looked at Mason Lynn, my heart clenched like a fist. "I was locked up for only a year, and you've already moved on, let her get pregnant?"
Mason Lynn frowned. "Willow Scott, don't get worked up. It's not what you think."
"Then what is it?" I stepped closer. "You said you'd wait for me. You said you only loved me—was it all a lie?"
Tessa Xavier stood up and reached out to grab my arm. "Please, don't blame Mason. It's me..."
Before she could finish, I slapped her.
The sharp slap echoed through the living room.
Tessa covered her face, tears instantly streaming. "Mason..."
Mason Lynn pulled Tessa Xavier protectively into his arms, his eyes filled with anger as he looked at me. "Willow Scott! Are you insane? How could you hit her?"
"So what if I hit her?" My eyes burning red, I said, "She stole my man and is carrying your child. Did I do wrong by hitting her?"
"She's clean, unlike you—you've been to prison!" Mason's words pierced my heart like a sharp blade.
I froze, staring at the person before me—familiar yet strange—and suddenly, it all felt unbearably ridiculous.
"Clean?" I laughed with tears in my eyes, "Mason Lynn, have you forgotten who went down for you back then? And now you're telling me she's clean?"
Mason's face changed, but he still defended Tessa Xavier, "Let's not bring up the past. Since you're out now, I'll give you some money. Just don't come looking for us again."
"Money?" I looked at him, "Mason Lynn, is what we had together worth just some money to you?"
"What else do you expect?" Mason avoided my gaze. "It's over between us. Tessa's pregnant with my child, and I need to take responsibility for her."
I took a deep breath, holding back the sharp pain inside me. "Fine, if that's what you want, then let's break up."
Mason Lynn suddenly looked up. "Willow Scott, stop making a scene. I know you're hurting, but you can't just say you want to break up."
"Why not?" I looked at him. "Mason Lynn, you were the one who betrayed us first. Now that I want to break up, who are you to say no?"
"No means no!" Mason's voice grew harder. "You can't go anywhere—you have to stay with me."
Seeing his obsessive stare, the last trace of hope in me crumbled to dust.
So, he has always only thought about himself.
Back in the small temporary apartment I'd rented, I locked myself inside my room.
The wall was still covered with a photo of Mason Lynn and me, where we smiled so happily—now, that smile feels cruelly ironic.
My phone suddenly buzzed—a message from an unknown number.
I opened it. It was from Tessa Xavier.
The first photo was an intimate picture of her and Mason Lynn. Mason held her, his chin resting gently on the top of her head, his eyes soft with tenderness.
The second photo was her pregnancy report, showing how far along she was—and Mason Lynn's signature at the bottom.
At the end was a message: Willow, I know you're hurting, but Mason loves me now. Please stop holding on. I wish us happiness.
My hands shook with anger as I threw the phone aside.
My gaze fell on the box on the bedside table, holding Mason Lynn's token of love—a silver necklace with a pendant shaped from the initials of our names.
I opened the box and took out the necklace.
Tracing the pendant with my fingers, I remembered what Mason said when he first put it on me: "Willow, this necklace represents my love for you—unchanging, forever."
Forever? What a laughable forever.
I suddenly threw the necklace out the window, watching it cut through the air in a curve before landing in the grass below, never to be seen again.
It felt like a piece of my heart had been ripped out; the pain was so deep I could hardly breathe.
I don't know how long passed before I heard the lock turn.
I thought it was the landlord, but when I looked up, Mason Lynn walked in.
His face was dark, and as soon as he came in, he demanded, "Willow Scott, did Tessa message you? What have you done to her?"
"What have I done to her?" I scoffed coldly, "Mason Lynn, are you getting this all backwards? She provoked me first, and you don't blame her—instead, you're accusing me?"
"Tessa is such a kind person, how could she be the one provoking you?" Mason didn't believe it for a second. "She's gone now, and her phone's unreachable. Did you hide her? Did you kidnap her?"
"Kidnap?" I couldn't believe my ears. "Mason Lynn, you actually believe her? Do you really think I'm the kind of person who would kidnap someone?"
"Then why else would she disappear?" Mason Lynn stepped closer. "Willow Scott, I'm warning you—if you hurt Tessa or the baby, I will never forgive you!"
I stared into the doubt and anger burning in his eyes, and my heart turned completely cold.
So, in his mind, I was already a cruel woman.
"I didn't kidnap her. Believe it or not, that's your choice." I turned my face away, refusing to look at him any longer.
Mason was about to say something else when his phone suddenly rang.
He glanced at the caller ID, his face instantly shifted, and he hurriedly answered, "Hello? Tessa? Where are you?"
I didn't know what had been said on the other end of the phone, but his expression relaxed, and his voice softened: "Okay, don't be afraid, I'll come pick you up right away."
After hanging up, he didn't glance at me once and just turned around and walked away.
At the door, he stopped and left me with a cold warning: "Willow Scott, stay away from Tessa, or don't blame me if I get harsh with you."
The door shut, leaving me alone in the room again.
I sank down onto the floor, staring at the empty room, and finally, the tears I'd been holding back spilled over.
In the days that followed, I didn't contact Mason Lynn again, nor did I hear a word from Tessa Xavier.
I thought things would calm down for a while, but I never expected an even bigger storm was coming.
That morning, I had just gotten out of bed when I heard a knock at the door.
I opened it and saw Mason Lynn standing there, his eyes bloodshot, his face dark and grim.
"Willow, Tessa is missing." He said hoarsely.
"Missing?" My heart jumped. "How could she be missing? Didn't you just contact her a few days ago?"
"I don't know," Mason ran his hands through his hair, clearly agitated. "She said she went out to buy something yesterday, but we haven't heard from her since, and no one's home."
He looked at me, suspicion swirling in his eyes: "Willow Scott, did you do this? Are you still holding a grudge against her, so you hid her away?"
"I already told you, it wasn't me!" I snapped. "Mason Lynn, can you stop doubting me all the time? Even if I hate you guys, I wouldn't go as far as to kidnap someone."
"Then where else could she have gone?" Mason kept pressing, relentless. "No one but you would hurt her."
"I don't know!" I pushed him away. "Don't come looking for me anymore. She's missing—you should be reporting this to the police, not accusing me here."
Mason Lynn didn't leave; instead, he followed me into the room and said, "I've already called the police, but they haven't found any leads yet.""Willow Scott, I know you're angry, but Tessa is carrying my child. You can't hurt her."
"I told you, I didn't!" I couldn't help but raise my voice.
Right then, my phone rang.
It was an unknown number. I hesitated for a moment before answering.
Tessa Xavier's voice came through on the other end, choked with tears: "Willow, please help me... I'm at Mason Lynn's villa, he..."
Before she could finish, the call was abruptly disconnected.
Mason and I locked eyes, both of us stunned, surprise shining in the other's gaze.
"The villa?" Mason frowned. "How is she even in the villa?"
We rushed toward the villa.
As soon as we opened the villa door, we heard Tessa crying upstairs.
We dashed upstairs and found Tessa tied to a chair, her mouth sealed with tape.
Mason hurried over, untied her ropes, and tore off the tape from her mouth. "Tessa, are you okay? Who did this to you?"
Tessa threw herself into Mason's arms, crying, "It was... it was Willow. She tricked me into coming here, then tied me up, and said she was going to hurt me and the baby."
"What?" Mason whipped his head around to look at me, his eyes full of anger and disappointment. "Willow, was it really you?"
"It wasn't me!" I hurriedly explained, "I only came because she called me. I didn't tie her up."
"You're still making excuses!" Tessa lifted her head from Mason's chest, pointing at me. "It was you. You said you wanted to talk to me, asked me to come to the villa, and the moment I arrived, you tied me up."
"I didn't do it!" I trembled with rage. "Mason Lynn, believe me—I really didn't."
Mason looked at me, then at Tessa Xavier, her tears streaming down her cheeks. In the end, he chose to believe Tessa. "Willow Scott, you've truly let me down."
I stared at him, overwhelmed by a surge of anger and hurt.
I stormed forward and shoved Tessa aside. "Why are you lying? What do you want from all this?"
Tessa stumbled and fell to the ground, clutching her belly, her face drained of color. "Ah... my stomach... it hurts so much..."
Mason Lynn hurriedly helped her up, his voice tight with worry. "Tessa, are you okay? Are you hurt?"
He looked up, eyes blazing as he spat, "Willow Scott, if you even think about hurting my child, I swear I won't let you walk away!"
I saw Tessa's fake, pitiful act, and the fury inside me flared hotter and hotter.
I snatched a fruit knife from the table and aimed it at her. "Quit the act! You think I wouldn't dare do something to you?"
Mason Lynn quickly stepped in front of Tessa, his voice firm. "Willow, put the knife down! Let's talk this out."
"Speak properly?" I sneered coldly, "What do I have left to say to you? Mason Lynn, you've lost your mind, utterly fooled by this woman!"
Tessa Xavier cowered behind Mason Lynn, her eyes wide with fear. "Mason, I'm so scared..."
Seeing her like that, I couldn't hold back any longer. I grabbed the knife and lunged at her.
Mason Lynn tried to stop me, but I slipped past him.
I grabbed Tessa Xavier's hand and drove the knife in.
"Ah!" Tessa screamed, blood spurting from her palm.
Mason Lynn quickly pulled me aside, holding Tessa Xavier tightly in his arms. "Tessa, are you okay? I'm taking you to the hospital right now!"
He held Tessa as he ran outside, and at the door, he looked back at me, hatred blazing in his eyes. "Willow Scott, it's over between us."
The villa felt empty with only me left inside, the floor still stained with Tessa's blood.
I stared at the fruit knife covered in blood, a cold emptiness sinking deep into my heart.
I knew, between Mason and me, it was truly over.
Since that day at the villa when I stabbed Tessa Xavier, I haven't seen Mason Lynn again.
I thought he would hate me and never contact me again, but a few days later, unexpectedly, I received a message from Tessa.
The message contained only an address and one sentence: If you want to know where your parents' relic is, come to this place.
My parents died when I was very young, and their relic has always been kept by Mason Lynn.
Hearing about my parents' relic, I didn't hesitate—I went straight to the address.
It was an abandoned warehouse, dark and damp inside, with a sharp, unpleasant smell hanging in the air.
The moment I walked into the warehouse, the door slammed shut behind me.
I turned around to see Tessa Xavier standing by the door, a knife in her hand and a cruel smile on her face.
"Willow Scott, you finally came." She smiled bitterly, "I thought you wouldn't dare show up."
"Where are my parents' relics?" I eyed her cautiously. "Where did you hide them?"
"Relics?" Tessa scoffed, "You actually think I'd hand over your parents' relics? I just lured you here."
"What are you trying to do?" My heart sank—I knew I'd been fooled.
"Do what?" Tessa stepped closer, her voice low and fierce, "I'm going to make you pay for stabbing me that day! And I want Mason to see your true colors, so he'll never have a single thought for you again."
She pulled a box from beside her and opened it. Inside was my parents' urn.
"What are you trying to do?" I gasped, reaching to grab it, but Tessa blocked me.
"Don't come any closer!" Tessa raised a knife. "If you step closer, I swear I'll scatter your parents' ashes!"
I didn't dare move; I could only watch her helplessly.
"Willow Scott, do you know?" Tessa Xavier smiled, "I've known for a long time that your parents' ashes are in Mason's care. I also know they mean everything to you. That's why I deliberately stole them—just for today."
She picked up an urn, opened the lid, and was about to pour the ashes onto the ground.
"No!" I shouted, tears instantly streaming down my face. "Tessa Xavier, don't do this. If you have anything against me, take it out on me—but don't ever harm my parents' ashes!"
"Coming for me?" Tessa sneered, "I just want to make you suffer, to let you taste what it's like to lose the one you care about most!"
Just then, the warehouse door burst open, and Mason Lynn rushed in.
"Tessa, stop!" he shouted, his face going pale the moment he saw the urn in her hands. "What are you doing with Willow's parents' urn? Put it back, now!"
"Mason, you're here?" Seeing Mason, Tessa's face twisted with grievance. "It was Willow—she stabbed me first. I was just trying to get back at her."
"Stop lying!" I stared at Mason Lynn. "Mason, look clearly—she's the one who kidnapped me, and she even threatened me with my parents' urn!"
Mason looked at me, then glanced at Tessa Xavier, his eyes full of inner conflict.
"Mason," Tessa grabbed his arm, "I'm carrying your child—you can't just walk away from me.""Willow is crazy; she'll hurt our child. You have to get her out of here!"
Mason frowned, looking back and forth between me and Tessa's belly, but in the end, he chose Tessa.
"Willow Scott, you need to get out of here." He spoke, his voice cold as ice, "Tessa's pregnant with my child. I can't let her get hurt."
"Mason Lynn!" I couldn't believe my ears. "She's threatening me with my parents' urn, and you actually want me to leave? Have you forgotten everything my parents did for you? If it weren't for them, would you even be where you are now?"
"I know your parents helped me, but Tessa's carrying my child now. I have to protect her first." Mason Lynn avoided my gaze. "Willow Scott, I'm begging you—just leave. Let's never see each other again."
I looked at him, and the last spark of hope inside me shattered.
So, in his heart, the kindness my parents and I showed him meant less than Tessa Xavier and the child she's carrying.
"Fine. I'll go." I took a deep breath, swallowing the sharp pain inside me. "But Mason Lynn, remember this—everything you did today, I will never forget."
With that, I turned and started to walk away.
But suddenly, Tessa charged at me, grabbed my hair, and threw me to the ground.
"Willow Scott, you think you can walk away? It's not that simple!" She was straddling me, holding a knife, ready to stab.
I fought back desperately, struggling against her.
During the fight, I saw Mason Lynn standing off to the side, not rushing to help.
My heart turned ice cold. Summoning every ounce of strength, I shoved Tessa Xavier off me, grabbed an iron rod from the floor, and slammed it down on her head.
Tessa screamed in agony and collapsed unconscious.
I stared at Tessa lying there, then at Mason standing dumbfounded nearby. Suddenly, my vision went black, and I lost control as I fell.
Before I lost consciousness, all I heard was Mason Lynn's frantic shouting.
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