The Trap Of Ace

Chapter 19

Read The Trap Of Ace [by Eva Zahan] Chapter 19 – Jumping in fright, I whirled around, with my heart at my throat.

Dark eyes met mine as he stood right in front of me.

I sighed in relief. “Oh, Arthur. It’s you.” My gaze flickered around, no one was nearby. The hallway lied eerie.

What was he doing up here?

A small smile tugged at his lips, expression tight. “You shouldn’t be wandering here and there alone, dear. Especially in this wing. Achilles isn’t very fond of it if someone enters here.”

My head titled. And why was that?

“Uh, actually it’s been years since I last visited here. So I thought to take a look around.” I shrugged. “Whose room is that anyway?”

Glancing at the door, something washed over his face. But he masked it soon enough, not letting me understand anything. But whatever it was, it was… dark.

“It was his mother’s room,” he said, attention back on me.

Was?

“You mean, Ophelia?”

He nodded.

I remembered that woman. Though she was sweet, I never saw her spending much time with Ace and Caleb. Both her and his father would be away from home most of the time. I wondered where she was now.

“Where is she?”

With an empty look, he replied, “Away.”

Just as I opened my mouth again to ask for an explanation, a voice hindered me.

“Here you are, Arthur. I was looking for you everywhere. Thank G*d a waiter saw you coming this way,” said Caleb, sending me a brief glance. “The Simpsons are asking for Achilles, handle them, will you? Because I’m so done giving excuses to everyone of where he suddenly got missing leaving the party.”

“Of course!” Turning to me, Arthur nodded at me. “I’ll see you later, Emerald. And remember what I told you.”

That this place is not for wandering.

At the corner of my eye, Caleb’s attention peaked at that as his brows furrowed.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” I said, tone polite. What was in this room that they literally marked this wing as restricted? And if everyone was prohibited to come here, then what was he doing here in the first place?

Flashing me another of his vague smiles, he walked away.

“What was that?” asked Caleb, watching his uncle’s retreating form. “What did he say to you?” The subtle look of his at the locked door didn’t go missed.

“That Ace won’t like it if he finds out of my being here, in the east wing.”

Rubbing his neck, he looked at me. “It’s not like that, Em. It’s just that, a lot of his memories are connected to this place. Good and… bad. And he doesn’t want anyone to peek into them.”

He meant peek into this room?

“Anyway, the ceremony is about to begin. Let’s go!”

The sudden change of topic hinted that he wasn’t comfortable talking about this subject. So I let it go and accepted the arm he offered me.

Walking away, I glanced back over my shoulder one last time at that room. What so bad happened here? And in his mother’s room?

After the engagement was done, the cake was cut and served. And the last dance of the night began.

My eyes still looked around for him. He wasn’t there even during the engagement. Did he already leave? He did look extremely roused back in the east wing.

“This isn’t fair, Dad! You won’t dance with your daughter at her engagement party?” complained Tess. She has been pestering Dad to dance with her so that she could take some pictures, but Dad kept denying due to his lack of experience.

“Sweetheart, you know I can’t dance. Why don’t you go and dance with Caleb?”

“Right, we just got officially engaged and she already got bored of me,” commented Caleb, earning a scowl from Tess.

“I’ve already danced with him twice. Now I want my dad to dance with me. Come on, just one dance, Dad!” She fluttered her puppy eyes.

He let out a sigh. “Alright, but for only five minutes. No more.”

“Done! Thank you so much!” Squealing, she gestured to the photographers to get ready and dragged Dad along after her.

“Now that my fiance left me alone here, can I ask my gorgeous sister-in-law for a dance?”

a little and gave

handsome brother-in-law.” Rolling my

led me to the dance

rhythms. A lot of other couples

seconds. And the same went with her. In between talking to Dad, she threw adored glances at her fiance. Felicity

least someone got the love of their

months ago, I never imagined that I’d be living my dream one day,”

“What do you mean?”

in an awkward way. “Tessa. Due to some complications and my idiocy, we were always on and off. There was no certainty between us. And at one point,

relationships. And Tess needed one. They had a lot of misunderstandings and argument over it, until everything turned out good. I didn’t know why

“I’m really happy for you guys. Tessa is lucky

his head, eyes genuine. “I won’t, I promise. And it’s the other way around, trust me. I’m the

I shrugged. “That’s true.”

laughed, looking back at

my mind as I cleared my

know that I wasn’t alone

were into each other for that long? How come I’d

we were never sure of anything. So we decided to keep

raised my brows. “Secret

“You

then realization hit me, threatening the fall of my smile. A month before her nineteenth

a month before that

was already in a relationship with Caleb when she kissed Ace that

fell on her. She was

she… cheat on

***

of my raw sleep. Groaning, I pulled my phone out from

calling at the

the sleep off my eyes,

Ace?

with the skip of my heart. Why

Should I receive it?

Of course I should!

I swiped the green sign, the call went d**d. Disappointment filled my chest as I stared at the screen, hoping it’d ring again. But it

calling?

that happened in the night. His past, his mom’s room, Tess and Caleb. So many things

left without informing anyone. But then I decided against it. What’d I

I was in the

Should I call back?

back if

on it. But then I threw my phone in its previous place. I couldn’t just call him like that.

hand ready to grab it if it rings again. Receiving the call wouldn’t go against my

hour he didn’t call. And eventually darkness slowly pulled me back into a dreamless

***

the floor I tried to locate any faults into the new designs

up this morning, I’d immediately checked my phone. There were five missed calls from him. And all of

back. I’d called him. Again and again. But his phone was

if he was okay ate me out. Even in the office, I sat in my cabin with one single catalogue

come to the office

that? It’s disturbing,”

on the upcoming project, so she decided to work from my cabin today with me. And while she was so lost into her job, I

“What?”

eyes to my still tapping

something,” I

her elbows on the desk, giving me her full attention. “What’s it? I’ve been

Now how could I ask her about him? She must’ve had some information. Oh yeah, right. The meeting. “Uh, when is the meeting again? Is

And yes, everything is done,” she said. “Are you sure there’s no

flashed her a smile. “Yeah, don’t worry.” Nodding her head as she went back to her work, my mouth opened again. “But how would the meeting take place if Ace is not here. He was supposed

handle the meeting,” she replied,

she just say where he

you have any idea where he is?”

he said the boss

of my stomach. Left? For a couple

over her face. “Maybe

do you know that he went to the UK?” Something dimmed inside my chest. He’d be

and stays for some days. I don’t know why though, maybe for vacations. He actually needs it. Most of the time

any

close family friend. He doesn’t have any friends other than your siblings. And nor does he have

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