The Trap Of Ace

My eyes widened as the door didn’t open when I pulled it. I tried again, but no vail. What was wrong with

it now?

Then I remembered about the fingerprint scanner. But there wasn’t anything like that beside the door

either.

“Why isn’t it opening?”

A smirk tugged at his lips. “Because I locked it.”

“What? But why?” I scowled. “Open it, I’m getting late for the meeting.”

He shrugged. “I’m sure your boss wouldn’t mind if you reach there a little bit later.”

The nerve of this man! He talked about my boss as if he was referring to someone else and not himself!

“Open this door right now, Ace.”

Something flashed over his eyes. Closing the distance, he stood before me. “I missed hearing my name

from your lips all these time,” he said, tone soft with emotions as his eyes raked over my face with such

tenderness.

Something squeezed my chest as the memories we spent together seven years ago when he used to

visit our home regularly flooded my mind.

A composure suddenly took over his features, turning him unreadable. Clearing his throat, he cocked his

head. “I will let you go only if you accept a condition of mine.”

“Everyone is waiting for me. I don’t have time for this,” I said, not wanting to accept any of his conditions.

I knew, it would be something wicked, just like his intentions.

“That’s why I’m suggesting you to accept my condition and I’ll let you go.”

He wouldn’t budge, would he? Pressing my lips tight, I glared at him. “Fine! What is it?”

A triumph look took over his eyes, though he didn’t let it show on his face. “You’ll come with me, in my

car to the meeting.”

“What! No! I won’t go with you!” No way I was staying alone with him in his car. Right now was more than

enough to give me sleepless nights. I didn’t want more.

“Then you aren’t leaving,” his tone spoke finality.

I gaped. “But… you can’t do that. If you don’t open this door then you can’t leave either, you know that

right?”

His mouth twitched. “Nice try, Rosebud. But trust me, I don’t have any problem spending some more time

with you here, alone.” He stepped closer.

I raised my hands before me, stopping him. “Alright, i- I’ll go with you. Just, open this d**n door!” It was

better to be in a car with him than stay locked in this penthouse.

G*d! I hated him!

But when a breathtaking smile appeared on his lips, brightening everything around me, I doubted myself.

It felt like I was seeing the same old Ace again. Soft and carefree. Not this rough and cold.

I went speechless when he closed the gap, pressed a kiss on my forehead and whispered a ‘let’s go’ in

my ear. He opened the door for us clicking on something on his phone. I didn’t know how to react as he

held my hand and led me out of the penthouse. And I let him, until we stepped out of the elevator and

met my other colleagues down at the lobby.

***

The car ride was quiet all the way to the meeting. I barely looked at him as my eyes were outside on the

road most of the time, ignoring the brooding man. But his overwhelming presence wasn’t an easy thing

to ignore.

The whole time he was tense, his knuckles were tight on the steering, glancing at me time to time. As if

he wanted to say something to me, but held himself back.

The only thing he asked was if I wanted to listen to some music. But I said no. I wanted to ask him how

he got my fingerprint for the scanner. But even I chose to stay silent. Because I didn’t trust myself, once I

started asking, I feared I’d ask something that I shouldn’t.

Once we were at our destination, together we walked inside the sea-faced restaurant where the Arabs

would meet us. The whole terrace was booked for the meeting. And the first thing as we stepped onto

the terrace was the fresh ocean air greeting us, blowing my long brown locks along.

The Arabs were already there, discussing something in their own language around the big roundtable,

four men and two women. And the ladies weren’t from there for sure, seeing their western dresses. Liza

and Matt were seated at a smaller table beside them.

Smiling, when I tried to approach them, a big hand held my elbow.

“You’ll stay with me. Come,” he ordered- though his tone was soft, and steered me towards the Arabians.

“And why would I listen to you?” I had to crane my neck to look up at him.

His shoulder lifted an inch. “Because I’m your boss.” The teasing in his fleeting glance didn’t go amiss.

I huffed silently as the Arabs approached us, all smiling broad.

“As-salamu alaykum, Mr. Valencian! Pleasure meeting you!” the older one of them said, shaking his hand

with Ace. Just like other three men, he also flaunted their traditional long white tunic and a chequered

head-dress on his head.

“Likewise, Mr. Hakimi! I’m glad you all specially came here for this meeting,” he replied.

Though a smile stretched across his lips, his eyes were back to blank. A hollowness that resided into

those grey pools even if he was with his closed ones. Another thing that changed in all these years. I

wonder what caused him to turn like this.

Well, except me. With me, he was someone else, he’d emotions in his eyes. The emotions that scared

me.

After Mr. Hakimi introduced his partners, he then introduced his assistant over this country, Cindy, the girl

in a red dress and eight inch stilettos. Eyeing Ace up and down, she flashed him a red lipped smile,

batting her fake eyelashes.

“I’ve heard so much about you, and finally I’m here, standing right in front of you, the infamous Mr.

Valencian. It’s such a pleasure!” she cooed, shaking her hand with him. I didn’t miss how her hand

lingered in his more than usual handshake times. My stare hardened.

But it seemed he didn’t care at all. Retracting his hand, he dismissed her with just a curt nod. Her smile

threatened to fall.

“And who is this gorgeous young lady we have here?” asked Mr. Hakimi.

Turning to me, Ace pulled me closer by my waist, surprising me. “Meet, Emerald Hutton. A very close

friend of mine.”

Close friend? I didn’t think we were even friends, let alone close. Giving him a look, I smiled at the Arabs.

“I’m a designer at OC Fabrics. And just a family friend of his.”

All of them greeted me with smiles while he just watched me, which made me uneasy. His closeness and

touch was already too much for me.

“Shall we proceed now, Mr. Hakimi?” he asked the old man.

But his assistant was too excited to proceed than her boss, as she said, “Of course, Mr. Valencian!

Please sit.”

Annoyance pricked my skin as she unnecessarily crouched down to pull a chair beside her for Ace to sit

there, displaying her scary cleavage in the process.

Nodding his head, as he went to accept her offered chair, I went ahead and sat there instead. Surprise

flashed across her face but she covered it with a fake smile. I smiled back with equal enthusiasm.

“Easy, Rosebud. I’ve my eyes only for you,” his sudden whisper in my ear had me flush. Him talking to

me like that still managed to shock me. Even though he cleared his intentions from the day one.

Taking the vacant chair beside me, he threw me an amused glance.

G*d! He must be thinking I was jealous. Which I wasn’t! I just didn’t like that girl. And like that, my eyes

again went to glare at her, but subtly this time.

As the meeting went on, that red witch continued to laugh and flirt with him. She would even ask

irrelevant questions throughout the conversation leaning forward over the table to see him properly, as I

was in the way.

Even his stoic face didn’t discourage her. My hands were tight in fists whenever her eyes shamelessly

devoured him in front of everyone. I didn’t know how I resisted myself from clawing those eyes out of her.

When a hand landed on my t***h, I looked up at him, surprised, even confused. But when he squeezed

gently, I turned red again realizing that he noticed my reactions, all of them. Even that old man sent me a

mischievous smile, his aged eyes flickered from me to Ace.

Embarrassed with my reactions and disturbed with my own feelings, I excused myself and left down to

the washroom.

As the cool water touched my hot face, it felt soothing. But the ugly green monster still raged inside me. I

didn’t know I’d react like that seeing some other girl even eyeing him with interest. And it wasn’t the first

time, I felt the same when I saw that red head friend of his with him that night. Even more to say.

I was getting tired of fighting off my own feelings. But I didn’t have the strength to accept them. I just

couldn’t.

Tapping my face with a tissue, I rechecked my appearance in the mirror, blew out a breath and went out.

The washroom on the terrace had some work going on, so I had to come downstairs.

As I walked through the busy restaurant, a fuss behind me made me halt and turn around.

A tray filled with food was spilled on the tiled floor as the waiter gaped at the scene with h****r. The man

standing beside him, apologized. Getting out some cash, he handed it to the baffled waiter and hurried

out of the door, his movement tensed as he kept looking over his shoulder.

Wait, I knew him. I saw him before somewhere. But where?

Scrutinizing, my eyes followed him even outside as he walked to the parking lot. The walls were made of

glass, so I could see him properly.

Tall frame, grey hair peeking out of dark locks. Yes, it was the man I bumped into back in NY, at Mr.

Cooper’s office. How could I forget that strange man?

What was he doing here?

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