The Trap Of Ace

Read The Trap Of Ace [by Eva Zahan] Chapter 42 – Pressing the bell, I waited.

The elevator opened and a lanky middle aged man came out in a floral shirt. Stopping at his track, he eyed me up and down with his slightly red eyes. I faced away from him and tapped the bell again.

What’s taking her so much time to open the door?

Once the creepy man unlocked his apartment next to the one I was standing before and got inside casting me one last lingering glance before closing the door, I sighed in relief.

G*d knows how she stayed here with this creep at the other side of the wall.

With a click, the door opened and her blonde head peeked through it. Surprise was etched into her brown eyes.

“Emerald? What’re you doing here?”

“Hi, Sierra!” I smiled. “Sorry, I tried to call you but it went unreachable every time. I heard from Matt that you weren’t well, so thought to give you a visit.”

“Uh, thank you for your concern. I’m much better now.” Her wary gaze flickered around. She still was talking to me through the small gap.

I cleared my throat. “You won’t invite me in?”

She seemed hesitant, but then nodded her head and held the door wide for me.

Flashing another smile, I walked into the hall of her small apartment. With an adjoined kitchen, there were two more doors attached to the hall. An old couch, two chairs and a small bookshelf were placed at the small area. Not anything fancy, but it was cozy.

“Would you like to have anything? Coffee?” she asked, stance awkward.

What’s with the weird behavior?

I shook my head. “No, thanks. I just came to see if everything is okay. Umm, why did you resign all of a sudden? I mean, if you needed more time to recover completely, then you could just ask Matt. I think he’d help you out with this.” I came to the point without beating around the bush. Her meetings with Arthur, taking leave all of a sudden and then resigning. I had a hunch it could be somehow related to him.

She shrugged, wringing her knuckles. “Uh, as you know I wasn’t well. I needed some time to get better completely. I couldn’t just expand my leave like that. And I decided to give myself a break, to spend some time with my family, you know? So…”

“So you decided to quit the job?”

“Yeah,” she answered, licking her dry lips. The swell around her eyes and dark circles under them caught my attention.

“With your stack of bills pending?” I pointed at the papers on her small table beside the door. Clearly, she hasn’t been able to pay them on time.

She averted her eyes. “I-i was just about to pay the bills. I was just a bit late and they sent notices.”

“You don’t need to explain anything, Sierra. I just want to know why you quit the job all of a sudden if you were facing some financial problem?” I asked. “Is it- is it because of Arthur?”

Her eyes snapped to mine, they widened to a friction. So I was right. He had something to do with it.

“W-what are you talking about? Why would he be the reason behind my quitting?”

“Because I saw you with him twice, Sierra. And at both times, you were pretty shaken.”

All colors drained from her already pale face. Fear flashed across her eyes.

“H-how? W-where? Listen, it’s nothing as you think it is…”

“What’s going on, Sierra? You’re definitely hiding something.” I cut her off. “Is Arthur threatening you about something? Or is there something else that you had to leave your job? Tell me, Sierra. Trust me, if there’s anything like that, I can help you. I’ll talk to Ace myself.” Placing a hand on her shoulder, I tried to assure her.

her head, she took a visible gulp. “You’ve mistaken. He didn’t do anything. I left the job

can see it. He’s done something that you had to take this step, didn’t you? I saw you

about this man from the start, from the party when he denied before everyone that he hadn’t met me before. Which was a complete lie. And at our first meeting, the words he said, no sane person would say those things to a stranger just like that. So assuming that he may

given me a negative vibe. And now that I was close to discovering the real face behind his polite mask, I didn’t want

she wrapped her arms around her. “You can’t help me, Emerald. No one can. And don’t think too much of what you saw. It

his own uncle?

the door. “You shouldn’t have come here, Emerald. I think you should

“But…”

I beg you. I can’t tell you anything! Don’t drag both you and me in danger by digging something

churned in

“What danger?”

telling this for your

tell me why did you

for a moment, and then said, “I had to. I didn’t want to

***

sip on my tea, I watched the steam vanishing into the thin

that? She didn’t want to do anything that was

I wish Sierra would’ve told me everything. But clearly, she was scared. How dangerous Arthur could be that if

shudder ran

my face, pulling me out of my thoughts. Warner had a tiny frown between his brows

did you

asked if you’re doing well now. I mean, when I met you

I got a message from him asking if I wanted to grab some drinks together. So here we were, sitting at a small

went to the office today.” Even after the Arthur mess, I couldn’t help but remember Ace’s confession at the back of my mind again and again. A blush rose up my neck as I twirled the bracelet. The bracelet he gave

He… loved me.

through my chest along the flutters in my tummy. I wanted to close my eyes and relive the moment when he said those words to me again

had been lifted off of my chest. Though it still hurt thinking of everything, I felt somehow lighter now. I could see

all were young

what he did you

was the original plan. But then, I was bound by a contract,

you already forgave him, didn’t you? You forgot how he

Tess volunteered. And… he had a reason to do that. Not that I support his way, but he only wanted my well-being. Even

years. Even if I couldn’t call him totally wrong for his reasons. Because bitter, yes,

forgive him? You’re so lost into him to see that he isn’t the right guy for you. Don’t

about him being controlling, yes, he’s a control freak. But he doesn’t cross any lines if I tell him not to. He respects my

he’d given me without letting his dominating self in the

you’ll let him cross

And I really don’t think I need to answer you everything about my personal

“I’m sorry, Em. I was just looking out for you, you

I shook my head, leaning back into the chair. “I’m sorry too. I

I pushed you too much. Anyways, forget about it. You were looking tense a while ago. Is everything

I knew I could trust him. He was my best friend

Arthur and the matter of Sierra, he pondered for a moment, taking every information

you think he’s doing

with, so she left the job. I’m sure she didn’t want to deal with

don’t you tell this to

any solid proof against him. Nor did I witness him doing anything wrong before my own

find anything against him. But honestly, after hearing what Sierra said, he seems like a dangerous man. So I’d suggest you stay away from him, Em. Don’t drag