"Who is it?" Derek asked curiously, shifting towards me on the bed, his eyes searching my face. I slipped my fingers into my blonde hair and let out a deep sigh, my face wrinkling from confusion as to why Mason was calling me. Ever since we broke up, he has never called me and I've never done so as well. We moved on completely but now I'm shocked to see him call me. Was it because of what I said to him about Ashley? What did he have in mind to say to me?
Derek got impatient when I didn't give him a reply. He grabbed my phone from me, peering at the screen to see the caller.
"Mason? It's Mason.." He mumbled as he averted his gaze towards me, his emerald eyes piercing into mine, probably wondering why Mason was calling me. Sometimes he feels I haven't gotten over my feelings for Mason.
"Is this the reason you're a little bothered? Did Mason do something bad to you? Did he threaten you? Please tell me Isabel," Derek pestered, his eyes searching my face.
"He — he did nothing. He was undoubtedly surprised to learn that I found out about what he did to one of my friends," I finally told Derek, swallowing the pea-sized knot in my throat. His lips parted slightly, and his brows arched gradually as perplexity etched his features. I am sure he did not understand the entire explanation I just gave him.
"I'll explain everything to you later, Derek. Let me hear what Mason has to say.."
He gently placed the phone on my palms, his eyes full of understanding. Slowly, I took the phone that was still ringing and swiped the screen with my fingertips to answer the call.
"Hey! Isabel," Mason's voice boomed at the end of the line, flavored with power. I hesitated before responding and he had no choice but to call my name once again.
"Hi Mason… what - what Is it? Why do you have to call me?"
"Nothing, Isabel. I'm only curious to know how you find out about what transpired between me and Ashley.." He asked, and I gulped back the lump in my throat, hesitant to respond. I knew he was going to ask how I found out about it. I knew he'd ask, and I'm not willing to tell him until he stops threatening Ashley and using her as a sex toy.
"Mason.. I know you're concerned about how I got to find out but I'm not interested in telling you not until you stop whatever threats you're enforcing on her. You not only blackmailed her but you also went as far as using her to please you every single day. What has she done to deserve that? Please Mason… you have to stop it.. Ashley is not only worried, she's also depressed. She's going through a lot and I need you to show some humanity towards her. Note that she didn't tell me okay.. I figured it out myself.."
I managed to say and there was silence at the other end..
"Mason? Mason.." I called, wanting to know if he was still on the call.
"I've heard you.. Do know that whatever happened between Ashley and I was consented. It wasn't done forcefully. she totally agreed to it so you should ask for more clarity from her."
"No.. you're nothing but a liar. Ashley didn't give you her consent. You decided to make her your sex toy all because her mom works under your mom and is unable to pay some considerable amount of money. I know what you're capable of doing, Mason. I'm very certain Ashley was being forced into warming your bed. Don't lie to me!"
"Why don't we have a deal?" Mason asked over the phone, his voice tinged with conviction. My brows creased and a frown appeared instantly on my face as I wondered what he was up to. What nonsense is he trying to say? What deal is he talking about?
"What are you saying, Mason? What deal are you talking about? All I'm asking is for you to stop carrying out your threats on Ashley. She doesn't deserve it. No lady deserves to be treated that way.."
"I understand. You have a point but there's a little accusation you have against me in it which I'm trying to clarify with a deal.."
"What do you mean?" I asked, gritting my teeth, my brows furrowing along.
"You stated I was threatening Ashely, but I'm not threatening her because we both agreed to what we did. If you believe I am lying, ask Ashley about it. If she says she agreed to it and was not coerced, you must come back to me, Isabel. If she tells you that she was forced and threatened into warming my bed, you have the right to absolutely reject me."
Mason proposed, and my eyes widened with disbelief. How dumb of him to say that? When did I agree to do a deal with him?
Derek's puzzled eyes stared at me for a moment, curious to know everything going on. He slipped his fingers into his hair and sighed deeply,getting worried that I've been hiding my worries from him.
"I never said I was making a deal with you. Stop making threats against Ashley right now and leave her alone. I do not care whether you both agreed to whatever happened between you. I will never return to someone like you. That can only happen in your dreams, Mason."
Finally, I mumbled through gritted teeth before hanging up the phone, cutting him off in the middle of his words.
My chest heaved as fury plastered my face. Derek held my hands, and glided his fingers into my hair, ready to listen to what happened between Mason and I..
"What is it, Isabel? Tell me, is Mason still troubling you! Is that bastard giving you a hard time?!"