Chapter 6
Read The Trap Of Ace [by Eva Zahan] Chapter 6 – The amber rays colored the horizon, manifesting a
crown of crimson and pink above the setting sun. Lines of birds flew alongside across the sky in the
direction of their shelter; melodic twittering of them felt like a announcement of the darkness to befall.
I took in a deep breath, filling my lungs with the cool evening air.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Dad said, sitting on the car hood beside me.
I nodded, a smile curved onto my lips. “Yes, very. Thank you for bringing me here, Dad. It’s been so long
I’dst visited. I really missed our sunrises and sunsets.”
We used toe to this medow at least once a week. Well, at least me, Dad and Tobias. Mom and Tess
was toozy to join every time. It was like a tradition for us. The tradition my grandfather started with
Dad. But after my shifting to NY, I couldn’t join Dad and Tobias anymore.
“Me too, princess. Without you, our visits here didn’t have the same meaning.” His tone filled with
nostalgia.
“Yeah, that idiot had all the fun for himself,” I joked, mentioning my brother. He couldn’t join us due to an
important meeting this evening. “But I’m happy that you came here with me this time. It’s my turn today to
have all the fun.” I grinned.
Chuckling, he shook his head. “Nah, our time here became pretty boring as even Achilles stopped joining
us after you left for you highschool.”
My smile slipped at the mention of his name.
He used to apany us regrly to watch the sunrises and sunsets. But after his father’s d***h, his
visits became less, until it stopped totally. I still remember my extra enthusiasm for the ride here even at
four in the morning to see him. Meeting him was more important for me than watching anything else.
I heard Dad heaving a sigh. “Sometimes we’ve to let go of the past to live our present, Emerald. Because
until you live your present, you won’t be able to ept your future.”
I knew what he was trying to say. Though my family hadn’t said anything, but I knew everyone’d sensed
my distance with Ace even after so many years. But I couldn’t exin anything to them even if I wanted.
They didn’t know the whole truth, so they couldn’t understand.
“But what if it’s too difficult to let go of the past?”
His blue gaze locked with mine. “Nothing is impossible, sweetheart. Sometimes we indulge ourselves so
deep in our pain that we can’t see anything past that. All you’ve to do is, open your heart a little more, be
a little more greater, and let go of the grudges. Don’t let the past hold you from your happiness of
present.”
I put my head on his shoulder, saying nothing. Could I do it? Could I be that brave to let go of everything
and move on? I haven’t been able to in years.
The buzz of my phone cut my thoughts.
“Who is it?”
I put my phone back. “Casie. She and Beth wants us to have dinner together at our regr.”
Nodding his head, his gaze turned back to the chromatic horizon.
After spending some more time talking and refreshing memories, we headed back to home. Once
dropping him off, I turned the car around and drove to Nova’d Diner, where the girls were waiting for me.
But all the way, the only thing that consumed my mind was, Dad’s words. I knew he was right. I couldn’t
let go of the past because I held grudges. Grudges against my sister, grudges against Ace, grudges
against myself.
I could understand the reason I med Tess and myself, for being so naive. But Ace, he didn’t deserve
my hatred. He’d never promised to take care of my heart that I’d med him to break it. But the heart
couldn’t see anything else than its ache.
And it knew, it’d to hurt others if it wanted to prevent another ache. After talking to Tessst night, I
decided to give us another chance. Maybe it was time to let go. Even if it was just a tiny step, but it was
something. I couldn’t just hold over something that happened years ago.
And maybe, it wasn’t all I thought it was. Last night’s conversation shed in my mind.
“Did you love him?”
Her eyes didn’t flicker as she answered, “No.”
“Then why did you do it? Why did you do it even after knowing that you’d be hurting me by doing that?” I
asked, my voice was desperate.
A look of sorrow had covered her features. “I didn’t want to hurt you, Em. I’d never hurt my little sister like
that, no matter how much we were different from each other.”
“Then why?”
She’d casted me a look of apology. “I’m sorry, Em. I can’t tell you why. But you will know, soon.”
She didn’t exin anything after that, just told me to think over her request and left, leaving me alone
and confused.
What was she hiding? I didn’t know.
***
“So you decided to forgive her?” asked Casie, raising a brow.
I shrugged, twirling the fork into my spaghetti.
“I’m happy that you’re solving your problems with your sister, Em. Life is too short to hold grudges
forever. I agree with your Dad.” Beth smiled.
Casie scoffed. “These things only sounds good in your stupid books. They’re not that brilliant in real life.
Once a b***h, always a b***h.”
“Casie!” I sent her a look of reprimand, causing her to roll her eyes and taking a sip from her smoothie.
“I wouldn’t forgive my sister if she’d done something like that to me. Thank G*d, I don’t have one!” she
remarked.
Beth scowled at her. “Don’t listen to her, Em! You do whatever your heart says.” She wiggled in her seat.
“Uh, now that you forgave Tess, will you consider to do the same to Achi…”
“I don’t want to talk about him right now, Beth. Let me just enjoy my dinner right now with you guys, will
you?” There was nothing to forgive Ace in the first ce, but trying to get my rtionship good with him
meant sacrificing my heart again. And I knew better. Just some days more, and then I will be gone. Far
away from him.
“Well, I see your wish didn’t get granted at all,” Casiemented, looking at her right.
“What’re you talking about?” My eyes widened when I followed her gaze to the furthest corner of the
diner.
Followed a gasp from Beth. “What’s he doing here?”
Three suited men and a woman in her twenty something sat around the table. She sat right beside him,
too close to just be a business associate. With fiery red hair, porcin skin and soft features, she was
gorgeous.
At something one of those men said, sheughed delicately cing a hand on his shoulder. And he too
reciprocated with a soft smile he only disyed on rare asions.
A pang felt in my chest, my eyes set on her hand on his shoulder. Turning around, I gulped the lump
down my throat.
“Oohoo, I thought he didn’t have any barbie in his life.” Casie whistled.
“Casie!” Beth hissed, throwing me a concerned nce.
Casie straightened. “I’m sorry, Em. I didn’t mean to… we can leave if you want.”
I waved my hand in dismiss. “No need. I don’t care if he is here or not, or whom he brought here. We’re
here to enjoy our dinner, and we will just do that.” I casted another nce back at them. She was now
whispering something in his ear; the grip on my fork tightened.
“You sure?” Beth whispered.
I nodded, putting a spoonful of spaghetti in my mouth, not wanting to give them any attention. But it was
difficult when her high-pitchedughter burned my ears.
Beth and Casie sent draggers at them with their hostile looks.
“Look at him! Getting sofortable with that leech, and here I thought his sending you messages and
flowers meant something.”
“Will you shut up, Cass?” Beth red and then looked at me. “She could be just a friend. And after what
he did and said at the race track, it proves that he likes you. I don’t think he is that shallow that he’d try to
persue one and roam around with another.”
“I don’t think so, look at them. They look too cosy to be just friends,” remarked Casie.
Another pang made me grit my teeth. “I don’t care if they’re friends or not. Why should I anyway? It’s not
that I’m his girlfriend or something. And whatever he did yesterday, it didn’t mean anything. So let’s just
forget about it.”
My fork kept ying with the food, I seemed to lose my appetite. Even if I didn’t want to, my eyes went
back to them.
Her arm was now linked with him and his hand patting hers. And my treacherous eyes stung, heart
squeezed with something.
Thunder cracked outside, announcing the uing downfall.
I didn’t look away when his eyes met mine. Surprise shed into them, and then something else that I
couldn’t decipher. Seeing hisck of attention, she followed his gaze. Her eyes widened slightly as she
untangled her herself from him once she noticed the direction of my stare. But he remained as
comfortable as he was. As if he didn’t care.
And why would he? It’s not that he really did care for you or he’d any soft corner for you anyway.
Everything he said and did was just a pretence.
All of a sudden, I felt suffocated.
Turning away, I stood up abruptly, grabbing my purse. Casie and Beth went to follow me but I stopped
them.
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“You guys finish your dinner. I’m done.” When they went to protest, I shook my head. “Don’t. I will see
you guyster. Bye.”
A storm was building in my chest, wanting to release. My fingers clutched my purse in a vice grip. My
jaws right, holding the emotions that was threatening to surface.
I needed to go away. I needed air.
Just as I stepped out of the exit, a shoulder bumped into mine.
“Em? What a pleasant… are you alright?” Caleb held my shoulder, his face morphed into concern. The
sh of lightening fell onto us.
Without giving him an answer, I moved away and walked into the open air.
“Wait, where’re you going? It’s raining!” he called out behind me, but I didn’t pay him any heed.
Drops of rain pped against my face along the gust of cold wind. Goosebumps rose across my arms as
the water drops pricked my skin. But it didn’t stop me, this storm was nothing before my inner one.
The rage that boiled inside me, it didn’t make any sense. But it did bother me. It did bother me to see him
with that girl even if I didn’t have any right over him.
It hurt. It hurt like a b***h! And that’s what frustrated me. I didn’t want to feel, but I couldn’t help it.
My car wasn’t parked where I left it. The valet must’ve parked it in the parking lot. So ignoring the rain
and howling wind, I strode towards the parking lot.
What it’d take for me to get over him? What’d it take for my heart to heal the wound that I’d given myself?
The tear that slipped from my eye, the pouring rain washed it away. I hope it could take away the ache
also.
All of a sudden, a sh of blinding light fell onto my eyes, causing me to cover them with my hands. A
shout of my name came with a screech of tires as a pair of strong arms moved me away from the way.
The driver yelled out some curses driving away when my gaze remained in no particr direction with
my heart pounding in my chest.
“What the h**l is wrong with you! Where was your attention? You could’ve just died, G*d d**n it!” He
shaking me by my shoulders got me out of my shock. Stormy grey eyes zed with fire under the cold
raindrops.
He was done with hisdy love that he came after me?
“So what?” I snapped, pushing him away. “It’s not that you’d care if I died! Go enjoy your dinner with your
girlfriend!”
His jaw clenched, grabbing my arm. “She’s not my girlfriend. And don’t you dare talking about…”
“I don’t care! Leave me alone! And DO NOT touch me again, I’m warning you!” I jerked my hand from his
grasp and turned to my car.
A gasp left my lips as my chest collided against his, his one arm tight around my waist and another on
my nape. “I WON’T leave you alone, get that into your beautiful head. And about touching you-” he
leaned in, his nose brushing mine, “-no one can stop me from touching you. Not even you, Rosebud.
Because, you’re mine to touch.”
His forehead pressed against mine, noses touching, stormy grey shing with my turquoise, strong arms
clutched me to them in a possesive grip.
My breath hitched at my throat, heart racing. Even under the heavy cold rainfall, my blood streamed hot
in my veins. My breathing came out ragged as he pulled me closer against him, one hand cupping my
cheek.
Raindrops rolled down his head to the thickshes of his eyes as they gazed at my lips with
unmistakable dark desire. My own lips parted at the heat of his body against mine. My insides burned for
something.
“Mine. Just mine,” he rasped, cing his hot mouth at the corner of my lips. My eyelids threatened to
shut, drunk in his intoxicating warmth.
My heart whispered his name.
Lingering his mouth on there for a moment, when his lips went to meet mine… a honk of a car jolted me
out of my trance. As soon as I got back to my senses, I pushed him away.
Surprise and something close to dissapointment shed across his hard features. He hand shot up to
reach me again, but stopped him from doing so. Closing his eyes for a second, he opened them again.
This time they held calm andposure.
“Emerald, I…”
Shaking my head, I turned around and ran to my car. Fumbling with the keys with trembling hands, I
somehow managed to get in and drove away. His silent yet rigid form grew distance in the rearview as I
went far and far away until he vanished out of the sight.
mming on the brakes, I stopped at a corner. I gripped the wheels tight as a sob left my mouth. I let the
tears free cing my head against the seat.
The pounding of my heart still didn’t died down. My hands shook on the wheel.
How could I let it happen? I could I let him so close to me? Even after everything, how I could I let myself
sway? How?
You’re mine to touch! Mine. Just mine. His words rang in my head.
I shook my head. No! No, no! I can’t let it happen. I can’t let myself get hurt again. I can’t let him do this
to me, again! I won’t be able to live through another heartbreak.
My phone red in my purse.
Wiping my cheeks, I grabbed the purse and got the phone out.
Tess.
“Hey, Em! Sorry if I’m disturbing you. Dad told me you’re with your friends,” she said from the other side.
I’ve to do something.
“Em? Emerald, you listening?”
I blinked. “Yeah, tell me.”
“Alright, so I called to tell you that we’re having a family dinner at Caleb’s ce tomorrow night. It’d be a
great chance to get our families together again. His uncle is alsoing. So I’d be really happy if you
join,” she exined. “You wille, right?” Her voice full of hope.
Silence.
“Em? You will join us, won’t you?”
“I’m sorry, Tess. I can’t.”
“But…”
I cut the call and dialed Warner’s number. After two rings, he picked up.
“Hello?”
“Book two tickets and pack your bags.”
“What? Now? But why?”
“We’re leaving. Tonight.”
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