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.

thought you’d an appointment for cake tasting today. Are you done with it

cancelled it, Mom. 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

gritted my teeth, not reciprocating. My eyes glued

that she noticed the tension lurking around

made some tea for

said Tess, staring at

us alone. And not wanting to sit with her alone in the kitchen, I got up from

or messages? You didn’t even go to the office today. He’s a mess right now, Em. That guy

She was accusing me here of being the cause of his misery when she’s the one who should be apologizing to

To push me away from him. She was aware of everything but yet didn’t

after you did, you’re telling

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 understand. Whatever we did, yes, it wasn’t the best way to do it, but it was for your own good. Trust

I don’t see anything good in my suffering

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

before opening them back, as

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

shook me from my

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.

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

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

my chin high, I

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

clenched. Gulping the thickness down my throat, I

***

warm water trickled down to every 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 it washed away the tears that

It pained so f*****g much! As if someone was physically churning

heart, I slided

you do it? Why?” I whispered, letting

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

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 me, I’d hurt

thought it’d be good for me by pushing me away,

you away from

got to know how easily they broke my numerous dreams, intense emotions and

Don’t you dare try to explain anything. You’ve done enough already! Leave me alone!” I’d snapped

“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 my everything. You still

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 away from you that you’ll

as if he’d been stabbed with something. But the pain in his eyes couldn’t surpass the one I’d in my heart in that

I’d turned away from him and ran away from there. From the man I never knew would hurt me this

me gasp for air. My nails dug into my palms as I cried my heart out. But the b**n inside