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.

exclaimed. “What’re you doing here? I thought you’d an appointment for cake tasting today. Are you

this morning. It ran three hours long.” Placing her designer bag on

teeth, not reciprocating. My

she noticed the tension lurking around

tea for Em,

Tess, staring at

and left us alone. And not wanting to sit with

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 the entire night, and you

I stared at her in disbelief. She was accusing me here of

me some ridiculous show! To hurt me. To push me away from him.

you even hearing yourself? After what he did, after you did, you’re telling me to give him

And I’m extremely sorry for that. You don’t know how guilty I’ve been feeling for hurting

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!” my voice rose as I spoke.

pain in love. I’ve experienced 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 than this. The

eyes for a moment before opening them back,

told you about his condition back then, but 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

situation shook me from my core.

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 sought my help. And as his best friend and thinking of your well-being, I

did

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 now I’ll do whatever I think

my chin high, I

once. Don’t just shut him off like that,” she almost pleaded. “You don’t know what

Gulping the thickness down my throat, I walked out

***

relaxing the knots of my shoulders. But it couldn’t soothe me, the pain in my chest. Though it washed away the tears

pained so f*****g much! As if someone was physically churning a dagger into my heart

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

did you do it? Why?”

wound I got that night had been scratched anew. I felt the same pain, the same agnony I endured years ago. And the irony was, the incident I’ve suffered for so long for wasn’t even real. It was all a sham. A joke. A cruel joke life had thrown at me. Not life, my

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 me, I’d hurt him in the

just because he thought it’d be good for me by pushing me away, breaking my

you

of arrows the moment he said those words. The moment I got to know how easily they broke my numerous dreams, intense emotions and years of love in just a moment. Even knowing after

try to explain anything. You’ve done enough already! Leave me alone!” I’d snapped at his face when he’d tried to

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

away?” eyes filled with tears, I’d asked him. “Now I’ll make your wish come true for real

with something. But the pain in his

I’d turned away from him and ran away from there. From the

air. My nails dug into my palms as I cried my