The Trap Of Ace

Read The Trap Of Ace [by Eva Zahan] Chapter 37 – Taking a sip on the tea, I ran my eyes on the newspaper. The noise of Mom’s chopping vegetables and moving utensils in the kitchen rang across. But nothing moved my attention from the paper, not even her curious glances.

“You know, the Blackwood’s daughter ran off with her cousin’s fiance?” Her sigh resonated from the opposite side of the counter. “I got to know from the kitty party last night. Children these days, I don’t know what runs in their head.”

I flipped another page. The business column.

“Your aunt called me this morning to inform me how she’s enjoying her vacation in Switzerland with her third husband and soon will be sending me some pictures of their little honeymoon.” She snorted. “As if I wanted to know anyway. I’m glad that your Dad didn’t go after his elder sister. Thank G*d she’s not in the country right now. At least I got some relief from her frequent visits.”

I stayed quiet. Not warning her about Dad’s hearing her slandering about his sister to me just like I did every time.

“Em?”

“Yeah,” I answered, my voice came out croaky.

“You need some more tea?”

I shook my head, not looking up at her.

“Are you okay, honey?” she asked, hesitating.

This time I did glance at her, plastering a small smile on my face. “Yeah, why do you ask?”

Her identical eyes observed me. “You’re looking… tired. Didn’t get any sleep last night?”

I knew what she was indicating. The dark circles, the puffy eyes.

Nothing goes missing from mother’s eyes, does it?

A squeeze in my chest had me take a deep breath. I wish I could tell her.

“Nothing like that, Mom. I did sleep last night. Just having a headache since the morning. It’ll get better, don’t worry.”

“So that’s why you didn’t go to the office today?” Concern etched into her features. “Why didn’t you tell me? Did you get medicines?”

I nodded. “Yes, I did. I’ve also informed Caleb about it. I took a leave today.”

“Good. Take some rest. You’re taking too much work stress nowadays.”

Work wasn’t the issue at all. They barely gave me any actual work to do for taking stress.

Smiling at her, I looked back at the newspaper. The newspaper I’d been sitting with for the last half an hour. Not reading, just staring.

The clicking of heels against the tiled floor reached my ear. My fists clenched.

you’d an appointment for cake tasting today. Are you

I’d to go to a conference with Caleb this morning. It ran three hours long.” Placing her designer bag on the counter, she sat beside

gritted my teeth, not reciprocating. My eyes

silence indicated that she noticed the tension lurking around

some tea for Em,

said Tess,

excused to talk to Dad regarding something and left us alone. And not wanting to

aren’t you answering Achilles’s phone or messages? You didn’t even go to the office today. He’s a mess right now, Em. That guy was outside of our house

snapped to her, I stared at her in disbelief. She was accusing me here of being the cause

hurt me. To push me away from him. She was aware of everything but yet didn’t even try to tell me

hearing yourself? After what he did, after you did, you’re telling me to give him a chance to explain?” I shook

that. You don’t know how guilty I’ve been feeling for hurting you like that. But, Em, you’ve to understand. Whatever we did, yes, it wasn’t the best way to do it, but it was for

don’t see any good in my living with a broken heart for seven years. I don’t see anything good in my suffering and hurting for the last d**n seven years!”

it. And I also know that we shouldn’t have done it. But at that moment, we were young, Em. We didn’t know how to handle this matter other

her eyes for a moment before opening them back, as

he didn’t tell you of the severity of it. He was going through a living h**l. And I, Caleb and Tobis saw it. We saw him writhing in pain in his bed when he didn’t get his dose. We heard his screams from his nightmares. No matter how much he tried to get over it, he couldn’t. And no one in their sane mind would want the girl they loved to see them

shook me from my core. An urge to

important he was becoming for you, he couldn’t let you dream of him anymore. Even we didn’t think he’d be able to get out of it ever. And when I told him about your plan to confess to him that night, he

we did for you.” She added, moisture sparkled in her

But I was young enough for that scene you guys created to have me shattered completely,” I said, composing my features into coldness. “Anyways, I don’t want to talk about it anymore. You did whatever you thought was right. And

high, I turned around to

Listen to him once. Don’t just

my throat, I walked out of the kitchen,

***

curve of my body, soaking me into its heat, relaxing the knots of my shoulders. But it couldn’t soothe me, the pain in my chest. Though

As if someone was physically churning a dagger into

place over my heart, I slided down the glass wall of the shower and hugged

did you do it? Why?” I whispered, letting the tears

scratched anew. I felt the same pain, the same agnony I endured years ago. And the irony was, the incident I’ve suffered for

To save me from getting hurt. But did they really save me from getting hurt? No, they only had thrown me into the ocean of tears I’d flown every night in silence after that night. They had thrown me to the disgust I’d felt dating so many guys who I didn’t even feel any connection to. The kisses I’d shared even if it hurt my own heart. The man who was always there for

because he thought it’d be good

push you away from

those words. The moment I got to know how easily they broke my numerous dreams, intense

already! Leave me alone!” I’d snapped at his

chance to let him explain. “Rosebud, please! Just hear me out. I had no choice. I couldn’t let you ruin your life waiting for me. Trust me, I’d never wanted anyone else in my life the way I’d wanted you. You were

you wanted me away?” eyes filled with tears, I’d asked him. “Now I’ll make your wish come true for real this time. I’ll go so far

with something. But the pain in his eyes couldn’t surpass the one

him and ran away from

My nails dug into my palms as I cried my heart out. But the