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?”

bended a little and gave

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

he led me to

song continued, we started to move with the rhythms. A lot of other couples also joined at the last dance.

dancing, Caleb’s eyes went to Tess every few seconds. And the same went with her. In between talking to Dad, she threw adored glances at her fiance. Felicity radiated off her face.

the love of

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

“What do you mean?”

between us. And at one point, we thought that we’d have no future together. Until six months ago when we decided to give

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 she

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 hope you

“I won’t, I promise. And it’s the other way around, trust me. I’m the lucky

I shrugged. “That’s true.”

looking back at

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

I got to know that I wasn’t alone in the boat, she also had some feelings for me. And just a

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

anything. So we decided

my brows. “Secret

chuckled. “You

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

a month before that

She was already in a relationship with

fell on her. She was laughing at something Dad

cheat on

***

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

it calling at

my eyes,

Ace?

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

Should I receive it?

Of course I should!

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

he calling?

happened in the

calling him when I heard he left without informing anyone. But then I decided against it. What’d I say? I couldn’t just show how much

I was

Should I call back?

call back if it’s

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

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

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

***

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

morning, I’d immediately checked my phone. There were five missed calls

called him. Again and again. But

in my mind like a hurricane. The thought of if he was okay ate me out. Even in the office, I sat in my cabin with one single catalogue in my

come to the

you stop doing that? It’s disturbing,” said Liza,

from my cabin today with me. And while she was so lost into her job, I was lost into

“What?”

pointed her eyes to my

thinking of something,”

she placed her elbows on the desk, giving me

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

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

will handle the meeting,”

say where

you have any idea where

shrugged. “Not entirely sure. I’d called his PA this morning and he said the

Left? For a couple of days?

a thoughtful expression etched over her face. “Maybe he went

the UK?” Something dimmed inside my chest. He’d be missing

and stays for some days. I don’t know why though, maybe for vacations.

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

person, you should’ve known that as you’re his close family friend. He doesn’t have any friends other than your siblings. And