CHAPTER FIVE: …call me by my name...

HOPE 

I was wandering around the top floor, which once belonged solely to Ace before I became a co-owner, without a care in the world—confident I wouldn’t get caught. One of the kind maids had told me earlier that I was free to explore the place.

As I poked my head into a series of empty rooms filled with nothing but dust, I suddenly stopped in front of the door to Ace’s room.

Standing there, it hit me: after our encounter in his room the other week, seeing him again had become like trying to win the lottery. My heart sank as I realized it had been weeks since I last saw him.

It wasn’t that I missed him. Not at all.

It was that my stay in the mansion was dragging on, and I was starting to warm up to the place.

No, you’re not, I scolded myself.

I saw him that night. It had been a few weeks, but the image of the blood; barely visible between the collar of his shirt was still fresh in my memory. It hadn’t been much, but I could swear it wasn’t animal blood.

The more time I spent in the mansion, the more I understood how dangerous Ace really was. I needed more escape plans. At least everyone’s attention had shifted away from me. I sighed and continued up the stairs, determined to find the rooftop garden I’d overheard one of the maids mention. Apparently, it was Ace’s private space. But I was told I could explore and get familiar with the place—so I would.

I reached for the knob on the door at the top of the stairs and pulled, but it didn’t budge. I wasn’t sure what I expected—of course it was locked. I yanked again, a little harder this time, but still nothing.

Just as I was about to turn back, I felt a presence behind me and froze. I couldn’t move an inch.

Not because I was afraid, exactly. More like…

Well, maybe I was afraid.

Not of him, per se but of what he was capable of.

I didn’t want to end up like whoever that blood had belonged to.

I didn’t know when my mental health had started to spiral, but ever since that day, the memory wouldn’t leave me alone.

I was walking around the last floor which belonged to Ace before I became a co-owner without a care in the world, knowing fully well that I wasn’t going to get caught. One of the kind maids told me earlier that I was free to explore the place. As I poked my head into series of empty rooms filled with nothings but dusts, I suddenly came to a stop in front of the door leading to Ace’s room.

While I stood there it occurred to me that I after my encounter with him the other week in his room, seeing again became like trying to win the lottery. My heart sank on the realization that it was already weeks since I last saw him. It wasn’t because I missed him though. It was because my stay in the mansion was becoming too long and I was starting to warm to the place.

No, you’re not. I scolded myself.

I saw him that night. It was about a few weeks ago but the image of the blood I saw in between the collar of his shirt was still fresh on my memory. It wasn’t much but, I could swear by anything that it wasn’t an animal blood. He wasn’t a butcher and he wasn’t he a chef either.

The more I spent time at the mansion the more I started to understand how dangerous Ace was. I needed to plot more escape plans, at least everyone’s attention seemed to be away from me. I sighed and continued my way up to the rooftop. I heard there was a garden there from one of the maids and it was only accessible to Ace. But I was determined to find it anyways. After all I was told that I was free to explore the place and get myself acquainted with the place.

I reached for the knob of the door at the end of the stairs and tried to pull it open but it didn’t bulge. I didn’t even know what I was expecting; I knew that I wasn’t supposed to be there in the first place. I pulled the door again with a little more strength but it didn’t still open.

As I was about to turn around and get back to my room, I felt a presence behind me and froze in my steps. I couldn’t move an inch. It wasn’t because I was afraid though. It was just that… that… well I think I was afraid. Not afraid of him per say but afraid of what he was capable of doing to me. I didn’t want him to murder me like whoever that blood from the last belonged to. I didn’t know when my mental health became so weak but what I saw that day was stuck in my head.

WEEKS AGO

I was loitering in the hallway that Ace and I shared, scouting for possible escape routes. I wasn’t ready to give up just yet. Not when there was still a chance I could get out of this sweet, hellish mansion.

A few seconds into my search, I heard footsteps behind me. I instantly knew it was Ace. I’d thought he was passed out in his room after his shower. At least that was what he’d made it seem like when I was with him earlier.

I quickly ducked into a corner, hiding before he could notice me. Crouching down, I clamped my hands over my mouth as I listened to the beeping of the keypad on his door.

I peeked at him from my hiding spot—and that was when I saw it.

A reddish smear at the collar of his shirt.

I gasped, nearly blowing my cover.

It was blood. Not a lot, but it wasn’t a typical stain either.

He pulled his door open but paused, turning his head slowly toward my direction.

He knew.

My heart dropped. I didn’t move. Didn’t breathe.

He stared at me. Right into me. The way his eyes scanned mine… it was like he could see through my soul.

Then, without a word, he turned and walked into his room.

I stayed frozen for a while longer before tiptoeing back to mine, pulse racing. I lay on the bed, holding my breath, expecting him to burst in at any second.

But when I opened my eyes again, it was already morning and the smell of fresh pancakes and mixed fruit juice filled the air.

I turned my head and spotted the tray on my nightstand.

“Another breakfast in bed,” I mumbled, dragging myself toward the bathroom, legs wobbly.

THE PRESENT

I stood in front of the garden door, one hand still gripping the knob, the other bracing myself as I focused on the sensation behind me.

Ace was there. I could feel it.

A few seconds later, his breath ghosted the back of my neck, soft, warm, almost ticklish. A shiver ran down my spine.

His presence made me feel… good.

For the first time in a long while.

And for a moment—just a second—I wanted to step backward. Just enough to feel his body press against mine.

He smelled divine. I’d always been a sucker for men who knew their way around a good fragrance.

Oh my God, Hope! You need to get laid. I half scolded myself and yet it did little to nothing in stopping the dirty thoughts pumping through my head.

He reached out from behind me, placed his huge hand over mine around the door knob and opened it.

He touched my hand.

“You don’t pull the door—you push it,” he said, turning his head toward me, his lips dangerously close to my ear.

I wasn’t dumb. He knew exactly what he was doing to me, and I could tell I had some effect on him too. The tension between us hung in the air like a thick blanket. It was always there, but we both chose to play with it, to fight it. I wasn’t ready to act on it, and Ace seemed to enjoy the game.

I nodded without speaking. I could swear my voice would’ve sounded squeakylike a duck.

“Are you going in or not?” he asked.

I finally moved forward, away from his tingly breath.

“Sorry,” I mumbled as I stepped inside and moved aside for him to pass.

He entered, stood in front of me, and asked, “What’s my name, Hope?”

I looked at him, confused, unsure what to say. It wasn’t that I didn’t know his name... I just didn’t know how to say it. I always avoided situations where I had to address him directly.

Should I call him Boss or Ace? I hesitated before finally answering.

“Ace,” I said, though the name felt foreign on my tongue.

“Then use it. Always call me by my name except when we’re not alone,” he said, already walking deeper into the garden.

I stood there, watching him retreat, silent, despite the millions of things I wanted to say.