My ex-husband’s nightmare (Lydia and Mason) novel Chapter 180

**TITLE: Worst Fear 180**

**Chapter 180**

Mason

“Those bastards, I swear I’m going to tear them apart,” Zoe exclaimed, her voice laced with fury as she sat beside me in the backseat of the car. The clock had already passed 11 p.m., and we were finally making our way home. I was completely drained, too fatigued to handle the wheel, so I had arranged for a driver to pick us up.

From the moment we left, Zoe had been fervently scrolling through the comments, her fingers flying across the screen as she retaliated against the vile insults directed at Lydia. Each word seemed to fuel her anger further, and she cursed loudly, her frustration palpable in the confined space of the car.

“That Julia girl is nothing but a two-faced witch. Sure, she didn’t deserve what happened to her, but Karma? Karma is a relentless bitch, and you can’t pin this on Lydia,” Zoe spat, her eyes glued to the screen, brimming with intensity. I turned to face her, noticing the small vein in her hand protruding as she typed furiously. After a moment, she relaxed slightly, nodding in satisfaction at the comment she had just posted.

“Their words might sting you, but they won’t touch Lydia. She wouldn’t react like this,” I said, sensing her spiraling into a frenzy with every tick of the clock.

“This is the only way I can stand by her,” Zoe replied, determination etched on her face. “I refuse to sit idly by while they label her a killer or drag her name through the mud like they did last time.”

I inhaled sharply, her words settling heavily in my chest. Without uttering another syllable, I turned my gaze back to the road ahead, the silence between us thickening.

“Thank you,” the words slipped from my lips before I could catch myself. I felt Zoe’s eyes bore into me, questioning.

“Thank you for what?” she asked, her tone a mix of curiosity and disbelief.

“For sticking by Lydia. I honestly didn’t expect you to leave the penthouse just because of what you read online,” I replied, my voice barely above a whisper.

She shifted in her seat, and I caught her looking at me intently. With her arms crossed over her chest and her head tilted slightly, she challenged me, “You think you’re the only one who cares about her, don’t you?”

“Hmmm?” I furrowed my brows, confusion washing over me. It was one thing to pose a strange question, but the way she looked at me felt entirely different.

“I love her too, Mason. And so do the millions of followers she has online. I’m not the only one fighting for her,” she asserted, her voice firm. A sense of relief washed over me, and I allowed a lazy smile to creep onto my face as I redirected my focus to the road.

“Plus, I was there before the news broke,” she added, a hint of pride in her tone.

“Why? You never visit the twins,” I remarked, my curiosity piqued.

“I do,” she exclaimed, before quickly covering her mouth with her hand, as if to suppress her excitement. Then she shrugged, “Okay, I’ll admit I haven’t been there recently. But Lydia’s mom wanted to see me. She said she had something important to discuss.”

“I had no idea you were so close to her,” I replied, genuinely surprised.

Zoe’s voice softened, “She reminds me so much of Lydia. The way Lydia used to be with me,” she sighed, leaning back against the headrest, her eyes closing momentarily. “I miss the old Lydia. We’re together now, but it feels like we can never return to how we once were.”

The car fell into a heavy silence, the only sound coming from the gentle hum of the engine, filling the void between us.

“Mason,” Zoe called out softly, her voice breaking the stillness. It had been ages since she had addressed me by my name.

“Hmm…” I responded, still focused on the road ahead.

She took a deep breath, “Do you think things would have turned out differently if you hadn’t met Julia? If I’d spoken out sooner, I wouldn’t have had to kill a man, and Lydia wouldn’t have to bear the weight of my actions.” Her voice trailed off, growing softer until it was barely a whisper.

I turned to look at her, my heart sinking as I noticed tears streaming down her cheeks. The atmosphere in the car shifted, thickening with unspoken emotions. I had never broached this topic with her before; I knew it was a sensitive wound that shouldn’t be disturbed.

Her breath became shallow, “All of this is my fault.” A low sob escaped her lips, and I could see her struggling to contain her emotions, batting her eyes as she wiped away the tears.

But she didn’t need to hide them from me. I wasn’t particularly skilled at offering comfort, but I felt compelled to say something. “No, you did nothing wrong, Zoe. The past is behind us; we need to focus on what lies ahead.”

“You don’t have to comfort me,” she replied, brushing the tears away from her cheeks as she picked up her phone again. “But you’re right; I can’t change what’s happened. What I can do is make a difference in our present, like shutting down those haters.” She forced a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes and returned to her furious typing.

***

Daniel stood before me, his shoulders slumped as he perused the report in his hands. He stifled a yawn, lifting his gaze to meet mine.

I drummed my fingers on the table, a sense of unease creeping in as I wondered what was causing the sudden pause in his speech.

“Go on,” I urged him.

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