The Trap Of Ace

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?”

laughed as Caleb bended a little and gave me

no to my handsome brother-in-law.” Rolling my eyes, I took his offered

he led me to the dance

rhythms. A lot of other couples also joined at the last dance. Even Tobias and Mom went along

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

least someone got the love

know, even just some months ago, I never imagined that I’d be living my dream one

“What do you mean?”

certainty between us. And at

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

your love. It’s your heart that brought you guys together again.” I smiled. “I’m really happy for you guys.

it’s the

I shrugged. “That’s true.”

back at

something struck my mind as I cleared my throat. “Umm, when did you

after a time, I got to know that I wasn’t

that long? How come I’d no idea?” I asked,

never sure of anything. So we decided to keep it quiet to see where it

raised my brows.

“You can say

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

a month before that

churned in my stomach. She was already in a relationship with Caleb when

her. She was laughing at

she… cheat on

***

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

at the middle

my eyes,

Ace?

my heart. Why was he calling me at this hour of the

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 didn’t. I glanced at

was he calling? Was everything

a while ago. Thoughts of him didn’t let me. Everything that happened in the night. His past, his mom’s room, Tess and Caleb. So many things were nagging my mind

informing anyone. But then I decided against it. What’d I

right now I was in

Should I call back?

call back

dial option, my insides urging me to tap on it. But then I threw my phone in its previous place.

I lied back. But my eyes set on the phone, heart awaiting, hand ready to grab it if

the phone didn’t ring again. Even after an hour he didn’t call. And eventually darkness

***

floor I tried to locate any faults into the new designs we got for next season’s fashion. But all I could

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

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

hurricane. The thought of if he was okay ate me out. Even in the office, I sat in

even come to

disturbing,” said Liza, glancing up from

to work from my cabin today with me. And while she was so lost

“What?”

to my still tapping

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

the pen down she placed her elbows on the desk, giving me her full attention. “What’s it? I’ve

lied. 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 everyone

everything is done,” she said. “Are you sure there’s

Nodding her head as she went back to her work, my mouth opened again. “But how would the meeting take

not present here today, Caleb will handle the meeting,” she

she just say where he

have any idea where

this morning and he said the boss would be away for a couple of days.

the pit of my stomach. Left? For

over her face. “Maybe he went to the

you know that he went to the UK?” Something dimmed inside my chest.

maybe for vacations. He actually needs it. Most of the time all he does is

he have any business over there? Or any friends?” I

known that as you’re his close family friend. He doesn’t have any friends other than your siblings. And nor does he have any business over there. It’s all in