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.

mistaken. He didn’t do anything. I left the

me, Sierra. It’s in your eyes. I can see it. He’s done something that you had to take this step, didn’t you? I saw you with him, you were crying. Please tell me the truth, I can help you.” I probed, my voice

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

close to discovering the real face behind his polite mask,

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

hear me out and believe me.” I knew he’ll. But… against his own uncle? Would he go to the extent for me to distrust his

her head, she took a glance at the door. “You shouldn’t have come here, Emerald. I

“But…”

beg you. I can’t tell you anything! Don’t drag both you and me in danger by digging something that isn’t related to you.” Though her voice was stern, there was

churned in my

“What danger?”

Just leave. I’m telling

sighed. “At least tell me why

and then said, “I had to. I didn’t want to do

***

watched

did she mean by that? She didn’t want to

answer, I was sure now that Arthur was definitely not a man to trust. He was up to something. But what? I wish Sierra would’ve told me everything. But clearly, she was scared. How dangerous Arthur could be that if she opened her mouth,

shudder ran through my

of my thoughts. Warner had a tiny frown between his

What did you

well now. I mean, when I met

I wanted to grab some drinks together. So here we were,

but remember Ace’s confession at the back of my mind again and again. A blush rose

He… loved me.

my tummy. I wanted to close my eyes and relive the moment when he said those words to me again and

Tobias and then him, it felt like a huge burden had been lifted off of my chest. Though it still hurt thinking of everything, I felt somehow

we all were

he did you

I

him, didn’t you? You forgot

had a reason to do that. Not that I support his way, but he only wanted my well-being. Even if nothing much good happened

wrong for his reasons. Because bitter, yes, but he had valid

into him to see that he isn’t the right guy

me what I should do or what I shouldn’t. And about him being controlling, yes, he’s a control freak.

me without letting his dominating self in the way.

you’ll let him cross the line?” His jaw

And I really don’t think I

was just looking out for you, you know? I just

worry.” I shook my head, leaning back into the chair.

about it. You were looking tense a while

He was my best friend

everything, my suspicion on Arthur and the matter

think he’s doing something at

Sierra to do something that she wasn’t comfortable with, so she left the job.

why don’t you tell this

proof against him. Nor did I witness him doing anything wrong before my own eyes. And Ace and Caleb trust him blindly. They won’t believe me if I inform them of

you should wait and see if you find anything against him. But honestly, after hearing what Sierra said, he seems like a dangerous man. So