The Trap Of Ace

Read The Trap Of Ace [by Eva Zahan] Chapter 23 – “What?” I gasped. “How? How did this happen?”

She shook her head, wiping her tears. “I don’t know. I just got a call from the police station a while ago. And since then I was calling Achilles non-stop, but he wasn’t picking up his phone! Even our lawyer called him. Where’s he?”

A while ago, means we were in his bedroom then…

Blinking away those thoughts from my mind, I said, “Don’t worry, Tess. Everything will be fine. He’s in his penthouse right now.”

“Alright, let’s…”

The ring of her phone cut her off. Receiving it, she listened to whatever the other person said and then cut the call.

“It was him. He’s waiting for me outside in the car. I gotta go!”

“Wait! I’ll come with you!” I insisted. I didn’t want to leave her alone right now.

She nodded, sniffling. “Alright, let’s go!”

Once we were outside, we found him in the driver’s seat with a rigid form. Though his grip on the wheel was tight, his expression gave nothing away. Ignoring the memories of what happened up in his penthouse and the flutterings in my tummy, we got into his car and then drove away.

When the car came to a stop outside the police station, flashes of blinding lights blinded my vision. A small crowd of people with cameras in their hands huddled outside of the car, throwing bunch of questions at once.

“W-what the h**l? Who called them here?” Tess exclaimed, some more anxiety paled her already pale face.

After a moment of silence, he spoke with his jaws tight. “Let’s go.”

“But Achilles…”

He turned to Tess who sat beside him, features softening. “Don’t worry, everything will be fine.”

At his assurance, she nodded her head and got out after him as four bodyguards that came along us- I didn’t even notice them earlier- and protected them from the crazy paparazzi. And as soon as I got out behind them, an arm immediately wrapped around me, pushing my face into a warm chest.

“What’re you doing!”

I was ready to pull away as he guided me through the chaos with his protective arm around me, but then I decided against it. His hold and the way hid my face from those hungry cameras told me the reason behind his act. And I really didn’t want my face to be printed in tomorrow’s newspaper anyway.

Even in this situation, he didn’t forget about my safety. He didn’t go to Tess, but he came to me…

A warm sensation spread across my heart.

Once we were inside, I created some distance between us. The officer behind the big desk was up on his feet as soon as we strolled in, or should I say Achilles Valencian walked in. Because the draining color from his face was instant.

Carter and a middle-aged man in a black coat and a white shirt with some files in his hand – maybe the lawyer – was already present there.

Tess rushed to Caleb who stood behind the bars. With a disheveled shirt, messy hair, and dimmed eyes, he looked pretty shaken. When Tess reached him, he wrapped his arms around her as much as he could with the bars in between.

“Oh G*d! They put you behind the locker. Are you alright, baby?” she asked, eyes sparkling with tears.

He nodded, kissing her hands. “Yes, I’m fine. Don’t worry.” Even after his statement, he’d an edge in his voice. “Achilles is here, he’ll get me out of here. Everything will be fine.”

The urgency in his eyes confused me. I knew staying behind the bars wasn’t a good thing, but his desperation of getting away from here hinted to something else.

“How did it happen? Why did they arrest you?” she asked, wiping her wet cheeks.

exhale left him as he rubbed his face.

of us gasped at

get into your car?”

And when they found them in the

trying to trap you!” Anger flashed

“I know. But they won’t just listen

Mr. Valencian. We can talk then.” The timid voice of the officer made me turn

pockets, Ace stood before the

cousin first? And I’m not here

course!” The officer eagerly nodded his head and instructed one of his men to let Caleb out. “I’m extremely sorry, Mr. Valencian. I just got here and got to know that our junior officer

Ace’s shoulders didn’t go missed

much before me,

gulped. “Actually, Mr. Valencian, it’s a case regarding

release him.” He pointed to the black coat man as he came forward and

back. No one could with Achilles

Caleb stood beside him, he gave him a look and they both exchanged nods among them. The always

was a closed off person, even with his family, his love for them wasn’t any less. His actions spoke it more than

at the officer. “Where is your phone,

blue uniformed

the name flashing on the screen. And they literally

understood what you’re instructed to

hesitant. “Y-yeah, Mr. Valencian. The termination letter will be sent to our junior

Termination?

to cross Achilles

I shook my head.

within two days,” he ordered. “And

Your family’s name will be cleared, don’t worry. And, we’ll try our best to

on and grabbed my hand in his. But before we were out of the door, he stopped and

family you’re dealing with from now on. Because next time, who knows,

the color drained from the officer’s face completely, he pulled me into his chest again and walked out

***

we were secured in the car and drove away, I turned to Caleb who sat on the back seat along Tess

got really scared

know who could be behind this? Who tried to frame you?” Though we didn’t meet for years, I trusted him enough to tell that he wasn’t a person to be tangled with such issues. He was this happy and positive

his cousin through the mirror for a fleeting

not sure, but it

“This time

Antonio? And why’d he

of our biggest rival company, AR Industries. That man lives with the agenda to destroy our fame and image to get back to the top in the market, the

was competing with our every deal and using the leaked

If we get this, our clothing market will spread across the whole middle-east. And that’s what bothering him. So maybe he wants to defame us by this and turn the Arabians to them,” he continued, lips

the white knuckles of his on

whole incident was bothering him

to reach out and hold his

it of his own, right? He must’ve used someone to

leaking information from the office if

home this morning and was coming directly

either at night or this morning before you left,” said Tess, her brows