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?”

as Caleb bended a little and

handsome brother-in-law.” Rolling my eyes,

Grinning, he led me to the dance

rhythms. A lot of other couples also joined at the last dance. Even Tobias

to Dad, she threw

got the

I’d be living my dream one day,” he said, eyes

“What do you mean?”

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, we thought that

misunderstandings and argument over it, until everything turned out good. I didn’t know why he’d such fear of commitments, but I was glad he sorted it out and gave Tess what

believing in your love. It’s your heart that brought you guys together again.” I smiled. “I’m really happy for you guys. Tessa is lucky to have you. And I

promise. And it’s the

I shrugged. “That’s true.”

looking back

mind as I cleared my throat. “Umm, when did you guys start

the moment Achilles introduced her to me. And after a time, I got to know that I wasn’t alone

each other for that long? How come I’d no idea?”

never sure of anything. So we decided

raised my brows. “Secret relationship,

“You can

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

month before that

in a relationship with Caleb when she kissed

She

she… cheat

***

raw sleep. Groaning, I pulled my phone

it calling at the middle

the sleep off my eyes,

Ace?

body with the skip of my heart.

Should I receive it?

Of course I should!

Disappointment filled my chest as I stared at the screen, hoping it’d ring again. But it didn’t. I glanced at

he calling?

Thoughts of him didn’t let me. Everything that happened in the night. His past, his mom’s

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

now I was

Should I call back?

back

the dial option, my insides urging me to tap on it. But then I threw my phone in its previous place. I couldn’t just call him like that. I’d to remember that I wanted to keep

lip, I lied back. But my eyes set on the phone, heart awaiting, hand ready to grab it if it rings again. Receiving the call wouldn’t go against my

phone didn’t ring again. Even after an hour

***

new designs we got for next season’s fashion. But all I could think

phone. There were five missed calls from

then I couldn’t hold myself back. I’d called him. Again and again. But his

me out. Even in the office, I sat in my cabin with one single catalogue

didn’t even come to

that? It’s disturbing,” said Liza, glancing up from

today with me.

“What?”

pointed her eyes to my

sorry. I was actually thinking of something,” I apologized, halting the

on the desk, giving me her

about him? She must’ve had some information. Oh yeah, right. The meeting. “Uh, when is the meeting again? Is everyone

lunch. And yes, everything is done,” she said. “Are

smile. “Yeah, don’t worry.” Nodding her head as she went back to her work, my mouth opened

here today, Caleb will handle the meeting,” she replied, not moving her

she just say

idea

the boss would be

dropped at the pit of my stomach. Left? For a couple of days? Where? And why?

expression etched over her face. “Maybe

you know that he went to the UK?” Something

vacations. He actually

there? Or any friends?” I don’t think he’d go there

have any friends other than your siblings. And nor does he have any business over there. It’s

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