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?”

Caleb bended a little and gave

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

he led me to the dance

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

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

got the love

I’d

“What do you mean?”

where Dad was swirling Tess 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, we thought that we’d have no future together. Until six months ago when we decided to give

They had a lot of 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

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

it’s the other way around, trust me. I’m the lucky one

I shrugged. “That’s true.”

back at my

mind as I cleared my throat. “Umm, when

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

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

said, we were never sure of anything. So we decided to keep it quiet to see

my brows. “Secret

chuckled. “You can say

realization hit me, threatening the fall of my

a month

a relationship with Caleb when

her. She was laughing

cheat on

***

vibrations pulled me out of my raw sleep. Groaning,

it calling at the middle

off my eyes, I squinted at

Ace?

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

Should I receive it?

Of course I should!

just as I swiped the green sign, the call went d**d. Disappointment filled my chest as I stared at

he calling? Was

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

anyone. But then I decided against it. What’d I say? I couldn’t just show how much I was concerned

right now I was

Should I call back?

he’ll call back if it’s

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

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

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

***

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

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

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

concern was rattling 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 hand for half an

come

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

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

“What?”

her eyes to

thinking of something,” I apologized, halting the dancing

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

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

back to her work, my mouth opened again. “But how would the meeting take place if Ace

handle the meeting,” she replied, not moving her eyes

just say where he

any idea

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

Left? For a couple of days? Where? And why? Was everything

expression etched over her face. “Maybe he went to the

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

for vacations. He actually needs it. Most of the time all he does is work.” A shake

business over there? Or any

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