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.

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

ran three hours long.”

teeth, not reciprocating. My eyes glued

she noticed the tension lurking

some tea for Em, you

Tess,

cup of steamy tea, Mom excused to talk to Dad regarding something and left us alone. And not wanting to sit with her alone in the kitchen,

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

her in disbelief. She was accusing me here of being the cause of his misery when she’s the one who should be

She freaking knew everything and joined hands with him in his absurd plan to display me some ridiculous show! To hurt me. To push me away from him. She was aware of everything but yet didn’t even try to tell me once in these

what he did, after you did, you’re telling me

letting out a sigh. “I know, Em. And I’m extremely sorry for that. You don’t know how guilty I’ve been feeling for hurting you like that. But, Em, you’ve to

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. With my heart beating fast in my

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

her eyes for a moment before opening them back, as if not wanting to

pain in his bed when he didn’t get his dose. We heard his screams from his nightmares. No matter how

revelation. Imagining him in that situation shook me from my core. An urge to reach out to him rose in me, but I suppressed

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 sought my

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

young that you guys couldn’t tell me. 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

I turned around

him once. Don’t just shut him off like that,” she almost pleaded. “You don’t know what you mean to him, Em. That man

throat, I walked out of the kitchen,

***

my shoulders. But it couldn’t soothe me, the pain in my chest.

someone was physically churning a dagger

heart, I slided down the glass wall of

you do it? Why?” I whispered, letting

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 sister and the boy

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

this happened just because he thought it’d be good for me by pushing

you away from

I’d been struck by thousands 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

dare try to explain anything. You’ve done enough already! Leave me alone!” I’d snapped at

I couldn’t let you ruin your life waiting for

filled with tears, I’d asked him. “Now I’ll make your wish come true

watched me as if he’d been stabbed with something. But the pain in

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

fell from my eyes, my throat tightened causing me gasp for air. My nails dug into my palms as I cried